East Carolina’s 2023 season hadn’t yet reached its halfway point, but Pirates cornerbacks coach Jules Montinar knew he needed to get ahead of it. The winter transfer portal window opened in a little over two months, so he gave junior cornerback Shavon Revel and his dad, Shavon Sr., a call.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Montinar said. “These schools are going to blow you up, try to get you in the portal, promise you all this money. It’s going to happen.”
That call happened following Revel’s fifth career start. A junior college signee out of Louisburg College from the 2022 class, Revel played sparingly during his debut with the Pirates. His first career start came only a few weeks earlier against eventual national champion Michigan
However, Montinar understood the value of performance regardless of circumstance. He recognized Revel’s potential, standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall, weighing 185 pounds, and boasting a rapid 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash.
Revel Sr., who leads a 7-on-7 team in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, anticipated his son attracting attention in the transfer portal. Yet, when late November rolled around and his son concluded the season as a second-team all-conference player, even Revel Sr. found himself somewhat surprised.
