J.B. Shabazz

Physical Profile

Elite positional size at roughly 6-foot-7, 295 pounds with the long arms and broad frame that NFL evaluators covet at left tackle. The height gives him a natural pass-set radius to keep edge rushers from clearing his corner, and his wingspan lets him recover and re-anchor when initial hand placement is off. There is still room to add 20-30 pounds of functional mass to his lower half without sacrificing the bend he'll need; right now he's a frame-and-length projection more than a finished power profile, which is exactly the developmental clay you want at this position.

Play Style

Projects as a pass-protection-first left tackle who wins with length, patience, and recovery rather than overwhelming initial pop. On film he uses his reach to control the rep early and mirror edge speed, and his size lets him absorb power once anchored. In the run game he's more of a position/wall-off blocker at this stage than a road-grader, but the frame suggests power-scheme upside once he's developed in a college strength program.

Strengths

• Rare length and height for the left tackle position — at 6-7 with long arms, he can stay clean against speed off the edge and stack/control defenders once he latches, a trait that protected East Forsyth's edge on a team that reached the 4th round of the NCHSAA 4A West playoffs.
• Proven against premium competition as a multi-year starter at left tackle, the most valued and hardest-to-play spot on the line, indicating coaches trust his pass-protection assignment IQ.
• Blue-chip pedigree and pro projection — held offers from and was actively recruited by Tennessee, Ohio State, and South Carolina, and a Tennessee coach publicly flagged NFL potential, reflecting consensus on his ceiling rather than one program's reach.

Areas to Improve

• Functional lower-body strength and anchor — like most very tall, still-growing tackles, he needs to fill out his hips and base to avoid getting walked back by leverage-advantaged interior-style bull rushers; play strength must catch up to his frame.
• Pad level and leverage consistency — height is an asset in pass pro but a liability if he plays tall in the run game; he needs to refine knee bend and hand timing to win the leverage battle against shorter, lower defenders.

College Projection

Day-one developmental left tackle at North Carolina (flipped from Tennessee) with a realistic path to a starting tackle role by his second or third year once he adds mass and refines technique. Best-case he's an early contributor if injuries force the issue; more likely he redshirts or rotates as a true freshman, then locks down the blindside as his anchor and leverage mature.

NFL Outlook

Legitimate draftable-tackle upside given the non-coachable traits — 6-7 height, length, and left-tackle starting experience are exactly the boxes NFL scouts check first. If his lower-body strength and pad level develop on a normal curve, he profiles as a mid-round-or-better tackle prospect with All-Conference ceiling; the floor is a swing tackle whose length keeps him on a roster. Multiple evaluators, including his prior staff, have already pointed to NFL potential.

Best Fit

A pro-style or balanced offense that protects the development of a tall, length-based blindside tackle — vertical/play-action pass concepts let his pass-set radius shine, while a patient O-line room (a fit with Belichick's pro-oriented North Carolina staff) can build his anchor and leverage over a year or two before he's asked to start.