At first, Shaquem Griffin, formally of the University of Central Florida, didn’t get an invite to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. But over the weekend, he made the football world take notice.
Shaq was born with amniotic band syndrome in his left hand, causing his fingers not to fully develop. At the age of just four, his mother caught him in the kitchen trying to remove the fingers himself as the pain was too much for him. It was then that she arranged to have them amputated.
On Sunday, as scouts from every NFL team looked on, Griffin bench pressed 225pounds (102kgs) a total of 20 times. He used a prosthetic hand, strapped to the bar.
From a young age, he was told he couldn’t play football and should give up on the game he loved. But, his older brother Shaquill Griffin, always played and Shaq just wanted to be there with him. Shaquill was drafted last season by the Seattle Seahawks. This year it was Shaquem’s turn.
Having starred for the UCF Knights as a linebacker, being named ACC defensive player of the year in 2016 and winning the Peach Bowl earlier this year after going 13-0, Shaq was always going to be hard to overlook.
In his last season of college football, he racked up 18.5 sacks and 116 tackles, putting him among the best in the league. Not bad for a kid with only one hand.
For most of his life, he has been told of things he couldn’t do. But Shaq is never one to back down from a challenge. He thrives on that sort of thing.
What he has overcome in his life is tremendous. He has more courage and determination in him than most people will ever see.
Not only is he strong, but he is quick for a man of his size. At 227 pounds (103kgs) and 6 feet 1′, he could be considered too big to be fast. Not this kid.
When he recorded a vertical jump of 41 inches, the scouts knew he had explosive leg strength.
This was evident when he lined up in the 40-yard dash.
His time of 4.38 seconds was the quickest time from a LB in the history of the combine – exactly the same time his brother ran the year earlier.
He has spent his whole college career on the defensive side of the ball, but sources from the combine say, he can catch a pass as well. The problem facing many prospective teams now is, where do you put him on your side?
These days, players who aren’t in a stand out position like quarterback, defensive tackle or offensive linesman, need to be position fluid. Meaning, they can adapt to what their team needs and can quickly slot into multiple positions. Almost a hybrid, a mixture of multiple positions.
He is all these things and more. With the right coaching staff around him, this kid will excel in any task he is given. Skills can be taught, but raw strength and a big heart are hard to come by.
Shaq will certainly be picked up by someone come the NFL draft in late April. But many questions still remain.
Will he be a LB or will they play him in special teams to get a feel for the pace and flow of the game before they unleash his explosive talent on the world? Only time will tell.
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