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Justin Shaffer NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Georgia IOL
HEIGHT: 6'3 7/8"
WEIGHT: 314
HAND: 10"
ARM: 33 1/4"
WINGSPAN: 6'8 5/8"
40-YARD DASH: 5.14
3-CONE: DNP
SHUTTLE: DNP
VERTICAL: 25.5"
BROAD: 8'11"
POSITIVES
— Massive frame and build, with the girth to square up and engulf defenders at the point of attack.
— Rugged, tone-setting demeanor with very good natural power and play strength to back it up.
— Good length with heavy hands to deliver jarring force on contact, hoist, uproot and displace defenders on base and double-team blocks on inside-zone and duo concepts.
— Does a solid job with his angles to line up targets on the move and can blot them out once attached.
— Stays vigilant when engaged in pass protection to diagnose, peel off and plug adjacent gaps against loopers.
— Difficult obstacle to work around in protection, with the size and length to press and widen rushers who get to his edge.
— Has the power in his hands and upper body to stun and bend back rushers when he connects inside.
NEGATIVES
— Marginal athletic ability, lateral quickness and ability to redirect.
— A little sluggish getting out of his stance, opened up and to top speed on the move.
— Often late, wide or high with his hands, which negates his ability to control and sustain blocks.
— Allows interior rushers to gain control of his frame and pry him open in his anchor.
— Tends to lean in the run game, leaving him vulnerable to getting shed off-balance and having to grab to sustain blocks.
2021 STATISTICS
- 15 starts at left guard.
- Second-team All-SEC selection.
NOTES
— Former 3-star offensive line prospect out of Cedar Grove High School in Ellenwood, Georgia.
— 26 career starts, with 25 at left guard and one at right guard.
— Training with Duke Manyweather in Dallas in preparation for the draft.
— Invited and accepted an invite to the 2022 Senior Bowl.
OVERALL
Justin Shaffer was a two-year, 26-game starter primarily at left guard inside Georgia's power run game, which was predicated off a heavy dose of inside-zone, duo and gap concepts.
Shaffer has a massive, thick build with good length and an attacking, physical demeanor. He has very good play strength and natural power in his hands to bang and displace defenders on gap run concepts, with the ability to bulldoze defenders in space. He takes efficient angles on the move to have a better hit rate in space than his marginal athletic ability would indicate, showing effectiveness as a puller and climbing off double-teams.Shaffer uses his outstanding girth, good length and a jarring punch to obstruct rushers in pass protection, with the alertness to quickly diagnose games and pick up late loopers. However, he struggles to redirect due to his marginal agility and lateral quickness, limiting his ability to power-step, recover and cut off shifty rushers or connect at the second level against 'backers with a quick trigger.Overall, Shaffer is a hulking presence on the interior with excellent size, play strength and physicality to displace interior defenders in the run game and be a difficult obstacle to work around in pass protection. His middling athletic ability and quickness will limit his scheme versatility and effectiveness against premier and sub-package rushers, while he'll need to clean up his use of hands and tendency to lean.
Shaffer's stature, demeanor and ability to impose his will should allow him to compete for a backup role in a downhill run scheme early in his career.
GRADE: 6.5 (Potential Role Player - 4th Round)
OVERALL RANK: 156
POSITION RANK: IOL19
PRO COMPARISON: John Simpson
Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn