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Justin Shaffer NFL Draft Profile
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Justin Shaffer Scouting ReportJustin sports a low-cut, athletic frame with decent length, and he carries his weight rather well. That low-cut frame allows him to utilize short, energetic strides in space to build up pace. He’s also fairly explosive off the line, and he can get to the second level with ease. He’s able to find space and surge forward as a motion blocker. Shaffer’s hands are violent and powerful. He can stack violent extensions and pave open lanes in the running game. By the same virtue, he can replace his anchor with exceptional quickness and force. He has legitimate mauler moments in a phone booth, as he’s able to finish opponents that lose their balance. He also has a flexible upper body, which allows him to absorb power a decent amount and keep his balance. Justin is fairly light on his feet in his stance, and he transfers his weight well laterally. He flashes decent mobility in space as well. He’s at least able to keep his legs churning, and with his dense frame, he brings a lot of force as a pulling guard. Additionally, Shaffer flashes the initial burst necessary to shade across techniques and adjust his attack angles. He generally plays with good leverage, and he can generate good power at the point of attack. He can lean into opponents and channel his power without losing his balance. He can keep his base strong while extending forward and walling off defensive linemen. He plays with good knee bend, and he can load up a lot of potential energy in his lower body. Shaffer has an aggressive help mentality. He’s able to lower his pads and carry force into blocks, and he generates good torque from his upper body on reps. He has the power capacity to get displacement, as well as the ability to latch quickly off the line and drive his defenders into the dirt. His feet and hands mirror each other fairly well. He can lessen impacts with a strong, stable base. Additionally, the Georgia OG employs grip strength well in pass protection. He can anchor and neutralize with that grip strength, and he also has the awareness to handle stunts and recognize rushers flanking him. |
Areas for ImprovementShaffer's core strength isn’t elite, as his anchor can get warped and deconstructed by opponents. He also lacks elite range as a pulling guard. He can run a bit upright at times, sapping momentum, and the longer he has to last in space, the less effective he is. He’s better in short areas, as his initial burst fades in space. Shaffer doesn’t have great recovery athleticism or change-of-direction capacity. He’s also not elite at absorbing power, as power rushers can get inside his torso and knock him off-balance. Technique can contribute to this as well. While Shaffer can keep a strong base, his feet aren’t always controlled. His occasional lack of steadiness can make him easy to direct at times. Justin can improve his hands. His hands don’t always strike cleanly. He sometimes whiffs on blocks and loses his balance. Shaffer can also have some wasted movement in his hands, as he doesn’t always lock and launch. He can get a little grabby when he loses leverage, drawing penalties. Furthermore, he can do a better job latching and sustaining when setting his anchor. Especially against more agile defenders, Shaffer struggles to correct laterally when his anchor is broken. Shaffer can improve his communication when responding to stunts. He can also improve his angles in space at times. And finally, there are instances when his pad level is too high. This impacts his leverage and can contribute to minor lateral stiffness. |
Justin Shaffer Career at SchoolTeams like the Georgia Bulldogs are so laden with four and five-star talent that it can be rare for three-star recruits to break out on the college football stage. This was the case for Shaffer, who had to wait his turn and pay his dues before he got his chance to start. For the first three years of his career, Shaffer was a reserve offensive lineman. He played in eight games in 2017 and all 12 games in 2018, but never saw extensive action. That changed somewhat in 2019. Although still a reserve, the Georgia OG would see reps at left guard against Notre Dame, South Carolina, and Tennessee — getting his first start against the Volunteers. 2020 was the turning point for Shaffer as he was elevated into the full-time starting lineup. He played the entire season at left guard, shifting to right guard in the bowl game. Shaffer reprised his role in 2021, starting in all 14 games ahead of the title game. He earned all-conference honors for his play — a sign that the three-star from Ellenwood, Georgia, had finally made it.
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Justin Shaffer NFL Draft Player ProfileShaffer likely isn’t an early-round guard prospect. While he’s been a solid starter at the collegiate level, he lacks an elite trait to build around at the NFL level. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a starter. However, Shaffer’s inconsistency in space and lack of elite play strength will serve as diluting factors for his ability early on in his career. Shaffer still has enough play strength and athleticism to get by, and he stores great amounts of power within his frame. What’s even more promising is that the Georgia OG plays with exceptional knee bend and natural balance when he’s congruent mechanically. He can lower his shoulders and generate ample force with proper leverage. And he has the explosiveness off the line to supplement that. Shaffer can still round out some rough edges with his hands and footwork. But there’s enough there for him to grow into a solid starter at the NFL level. He may never be a Pro Bowler or an All-Pro, but good starting guards don’t need elite athleticism to navigate the interior. And Shaffer is above average in that department, either way. Shaffer presents plenty of appeal in the middle rounds as a forceful, well-leveraged guard prospect with starting potential across schemes. And until he becomes a starter, he has the experience and left-right versatility to be a valuable depth piece. |
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