Justin Shaffer
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Justin Shaffer
| image = Justin Shaffer.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Shaffer in 2022
| currentteam =
| number =
| position = Guard
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|06|20}}
| birth_place = Ellenwood, Georgia, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 317
| high_school = Cedar Grove
(Ellenwood, Georgia)
| college = Georgia (2017–2021)
| draftyear = 2022
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 190
| pastteams =
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2022}}–{{NFL Year|2023}})*
- San Antonio Brahmas ({{UFL Year|2025}})*
| status =
| highlights =
- CFP national champion (2021)
- Second-team All-SEC (2021)
| statseason = 2023
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 =
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue3 =
| pfr = ShafJu00
}}
Justin Donnnell Shaffer (born June 20, 1998) is an American professional football guard. He previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at Georgia.
Early life
Shaffer grew up in Ellenwood, Georgia and attended Cedar Grove High School. He was rated a three-star recruit and initially committed to play college football at Louisville during his junior year.{{Cite web |date=January 14, 2016 |title=Louisville gets commitment from big 2017 OT |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2016/01/14/justin-shaffer-commits-louisville-2017/78824428/ |access-date=January 11, 2022 |website=Courier-Journal}} Shaffer flipped his commitment to Georgia shortly before National Signing Day.{{Cite web |date=February 15, 2016 |title=Cedar Grove OL Justin Shaffer, previously pledged to Louisville, signs with Georgia |url=https://www.macon.com/sports/college/university-of-georgia/bulldogs-beat/article60454091.html |access-date=January 11, 2022 |website=The Telegraph}}
College career
Shaffer saw playing time as a reserve offensive lineman as a freshman and sophomore.{{Cite web |date=October 1, 2019 |title=Georgia's Justin Shaffer likely will get first start vs. Tennessee |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/georgia-justin-shaffer-likely-get-first-start-tennessee/NwUMxAPgqTYr7l5ws1KSdI/ |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} He made his first career start as a junior against Tennessee and started the next game before suffering a season-ending neck injury.{{Cite web |last=Rainey |first=Seth |date=October 1, 2020 |title=Justin Shaffer: "I knew I had a chip on my shoulder..." |url=https://uga.rivals.com/news/justin-shaffer-i-knew-i-had-a-chip-on-my-shoulder- |access-date=January 11, 2022 |website=Rivals.com}}{{Cite web |date=October 14, 2019 |title=No. 10 Georgia left guard Shaffer ruled out against Kentucky |url=https://apnews.com/article/7cf11d9b5ea0455a910dafc1ff7b667b |access-date=January 11, 2022 |publisher=Associated Press}} Shaffer started all of the Bulldogs' regular season games at left tackle and started in the 2021 Peach Bowl at left guard.{{Cite web |date=March 30, 2021 |title=Taking advantage of extra year of eligibility, UGA's Justin Shaffer has something to prove |url=https://www.onlineathens.com/story/sports/college/bulldogs-extra/2021/03/30/uga-football-o-lineman-justin-shaffer-among-super-seniors-kirby-smart-sec/7019317002/ |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=Athens Banner-Herald}} Shaffer decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic and return to Georgia for a fifth season.{{Cite web |date=January 8, 2021 |title=Justin Shaffer returning to Georgia for fifth year |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2021/jan/08/shaffer-returning-georgia/539350/ |access-date=January 11, 2022 |website=Chattanooga Times Free Press}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 3 7/8
| weight = 314
| dash = 5.14
| ten split = 1.72
| twenty split = 2.92
| shuttle = 4.85
| cone drill = 8.09
| vertical = 25.5
| broad ft = 8
| broad in = 11
| bench = 23
| arm span = 33 1/4
| hand span = 10
| note = Sources:{{Cite web |title=Justin Shaffer Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/justin-shaffer/32005348-4107-2409-4bfa-f9b2b9d5d1a0 |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2022 Draft Scout Justin Shaffer, Georgia NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1022651&DraftYear=2022 |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=draftscout.com}}{{Cite web |title=Justin Shaffer 2022 NFL Draft Profile |url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/105683 |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=insider.espn.com}}
}}
= Atlanta Falcons =
Shaffer was selected in the sixth round with the 190th pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 NFL draft.{{Cite web |date=April 30, 2022 |title=Falcons select OL Justin Shaffer No. 190 overall in 2022 NFL Draft |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-select-ol-justin-shaffer-no-190-overall-in-2022-nfl-draft |access-date=May 1, 2022}} He was waived on August 30 and re-signed to the practice squad.{{Cite web |last=Bair, Scott |date=August 30, 2022 |title=Falcons announce initial 53-man roster heading into 2022 regular season |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-announce-initial-53-man-roster-heading-into-2022-regular-season |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}{{Cite web |last=McElhaney, Tori |last2=Bair, Scott |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Falcons add eight more players to practice squad |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-add-seven-more-players-to-practice-squad-caleb-huntley-justin-shaffer |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}} He signed a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Deighton, John |date=January 9, 2023 |title=Falcons sign 18 players to Reserve/Future contracts |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-sign-18-players-to-reserve-future-contracts |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}
On August 29, 2023, Shaffer was waived by the Falcons and re-signed to the practice squad.{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Falcons announce initial 53-man roster for 2023 |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/initial-53-man-roster-transactions-announced-for-2023 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}}{{Cite web |last=Bair, Scott |date=August 30, 2023 |title=Falcons announce additions to practice squad |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-announce-additions-to-practice-squad |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}} Following the end of the 2023 regular season, he signed a reserve/future contract on January 10, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Waack |first=Terrin |date=January 10, 2024 |title=Falcons sign 16 players to reserve/future contracts in 2024 |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/16-players-signed-reserve-future-contracts-2024-austin-mack-tyler-vrabel |access-date=January 10, 2024}} Shaffer was released by the Falcons on March 28.{{Cite web|title=Falcons release offensive lineman Justin Shaffer|url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-release-offensive-lineman-justin-shaffer|access-date=March 29, 2024|website=atlantafalcons.com|language=en}}
= San Antonio Brahmas =
On October 21, 2024, Shaffer was signed by the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL).{{Cite web |title=UFL Transactions |url=https://uflboard.com/ufl-transactions/ |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=UFLBoard.com |language=en-US}} He was released on March 20, 2025.{{Cite web |title=UFL Teams Finalize Rosters After Successful Training Camp |url=https://www.theufl.com/news/ufl-teams-finalize-rosters-after-successful-training-camp |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=www.theufl.com |language=en}}
Personal life
Shaffer is first cousins with DeAngelo Malone, who was also selected by the Falcons in the 2022 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Bair |first=Scott |last2=McElhaney |first2=Tori |date=2022-04-30 |title=Falcons select OL Justin Shaffer No. 190 overall in 2022 NFL Draft |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-select-ol-justin-shaffer-no-190-overall-in-2022-nfl-draft |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Atlanta Falcons}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://georgiadogs.com/sports/football/roster/justin-shaffer/5469 Georgia Bulldogs bio]
{{2021 Georgia Bulldogs football navbox}}
{{Atlanta Falcons 2022 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaffer, Justin}}
Category:American football offensive guards
Category:Georgia Bulldogs football players
Category:Players of American football from Clayton County, Georgia
Category:Players of American football from DeKalb County, Georgia
Category:Players of American football from Henry County, Georgia
Category:Players of American football from Rockdale County, Georgia