Dean Shaffer brings veteran, captain-caliber toughness to UMass’s linebacker room
Shaffer is a 6-foot-1, 230-pound graduate transfer who arrived at UMass after four seasons at Yale, where he served as a 2024 captain and flashed downhill production, including 25 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in four games in the 2024 season. He’s a sturdy, physical linebacker with a reputation for leadership, weight-room strength, and straight-line effort—he reportedly set a school deadlift record at Smithtown East and was described as someone building something special at UMass. If your team wants a dependable, mature tackler who adds edge and accountability, he’s a fit.
