Will Shaffer

Photo by: Aly Bayliss

Photo by: Aly Bayliss

Photo by: Kaylee Kahn

2025 - Redshirt Senior (at ACU)

Preseason All-America First Team by Stats Perform FCS & FCS Football Central (Sports Illustrated)
Preseason UAC Defensive Player of the Year
Preseason All-UAC
Preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List

Fall 2024 - Redshirt Junior (at ACU)

Named All-America by four media outlets: Associated Press (Honorable Mention), FCS Stats Perform (2nd Team), FCS Football Central (3rd Team), Phil Steele (4th Team)
First Team All-UAC
One of 35 national finalists for Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the FCS Defensive Player of the Year
Started all 14 games at weakside linebacker
Led UAC and was 8th in FCS with 123 tackles, which tied for 6th most in a single season in ACU history
Clinched a victory over No. 5 Central Arkansas with last-minute interception on Oct. 5

Spring 2024 (at Utah State)

2023 - Redshirt Sophomore (at Arizona State)

2022 - Sophomore (at Arizona State)

Appeared as a reserve linebacker throughout the season while resuming his role as a special teams standout
Made first career start against Washington State
Record nine tackles and one for loss
Appeared on 195 special teams plays - 19th-most in the Pac-12

2021 - Freshman (at Arizona State)

Played the seventh-most special teams snap of any player in the Pac-12, appearing on all coverage and return units
Finished as the seventh-highest graded special teams player in the conference among those with at least 200 snaps
Saw time in reserve duty at linebacker throughout the season

2020 - COVID Season (at Arizona State)

Played in 4 games on special teams and as a reserve LB
Named Pac-12 Special Teams of the Week after blocking a punt against Oregon State and returning it for 22 yards
Made three tackles, a pass deflection, and a half a tackle for loss

High School

Extremely productive linebacker prospect coming out of powerhouse Saguaro (Ariz.) High School
Three-sport standout at Saguaro, competing on the basketball, track & field, and football teams
The Sabercats combined to go 36-5 on the gridiron during his three Varsity season, losing only once to in-state competition
Collected 139 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 37 varsity games; added two interceptions, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble
Contributed significantly on the offensive side of the ball as well at the varsity level, rushing for 440 yards and nine touchdowns on 51 carries while adding 46 catches for 804 yards and 13 touchdowns
Led Saguaro to the first-ever Arizona High School Open Division Championship game, where Saguaro nearly knocked off 6A Chandler
Ran for two touchdowns and added another touchdown catch in the 2019 State Championship game; collected six tackles and broke up a pass on defense
Won the AIA 4A State Championship during his junior year, hauling in four catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns
Consensus three-star prospect according to all three major recruiting services
247 Sports ranked him as the No. 15 overall prospect in Arizona and the No. 23 inside linebacker prospect nationally
Rivals tabbed him as the No. 20 overall prospect in the state
A top-300 overall prospect in the West Region according to ESPN