Card: TNT AFL 2014
Acquired: In Person, 5/3/2014 Talons vs. Barnstormers.

I was really happy with how this card design turned out. I used a posterization effect to go along with the expanded cut out. It looks great for this card and balances out the busyness of the background. DJ was one of the many players that I contacted through Twitter with their card design before attending the Talons game about a month later. Some fans were so excited about them that they asked me how they could get a copy of the card and were stunned I had done them myself. It’s a real high compliment to have fans of your work, but it doesn’t pay the bills.

Through the 2014 season, DJ played his entire career for the Talons. He joined the franchise in 2012 and has seen an increasing presence on the team at receiver. Graduating from Arkansas-Monticello Stephens had 689 yards and 9 touchdowns on 68 receptions in 2011.  A dangerous kick returner, Stephens had 4 scores in 30 kicks in 2013, to go along with 55 catches for 738 yards and 13 TDs.

2014 was DJ’s coming of age in the AFL. He set team records with 11 receptions in the team’s opener against the LA KISS. The team liked the combo of DJ and PJ so much they went ahead and traded Jomo back to Jacksonville. Stephens earned the J. Lewis Small Player of the Week award from the league after setting franchise records with 229 yards in the Talons loss to the Iowa Barnstormers and led the league in all-purpose yardage (1,007) after week 5. Stephens season came to a frustrating end as injury held him out of the final 5 contests.