Evaluation: An elusive speedster when he touches the ball on offense and on returns. On offense, he splits time between wide receiver and running back. As a ball carrier, he sees lanes develop and explodes through the hole with a burst. As a receiver, he gets off the line quickly, allowing him to fly past defenders. Although he tends to drift on his routes at times, he has the awareness to find soft spots in zone coverage. Shaw can adjust his catch radius to any throw, including climbing the ladder to make a grab. He is a physical blocker when asked to step up, though he needs to work on keeping his hands inside. On defense, he is instinctive, with exceptional ball skills and rapid closing speed, attacking the ball with a precise tackling angle on blitzes. He has a true nose for the football when it comes to creating turnovers. However, he tends to rely more on his quickness to defeat blocks than on his hands. In pass coverage, he reads and reacts fluently when changing direction. He has unlimited range in pass coverage to account for deep, intermediate, and short passes. As a returner, he has the spatial awareness to track the ball as a basket catcher but needs to get his feet in the right spot. He has the vision to trust his blocks and see lanes develop.

What stood out the most at Rize for Darin Shaw coverage ability, where he consistently looked comfortable running with backs out of the backfield. His longer stride and leg length helped him stay stride for stride, even when matched against quicker RBs in space. He showed the athleticism and awareness needed to stay in phase throughout reps. It was an encouraging look overall, and he’s a player I’m excited to track closely heading into the fall.

Darin Shaw is one of those talents that you just can’t forget after you see him. He’s got outstanding size and ability on the playing field and that’s a big reason he is heading to the “RIZE” in New Jersey because he earned it with all of his special talents. He will be representing the 2030 class in New England.

You could make a strong case that Darin Shaw Darin Shaw 6'2" | 210 lbs | ATH/LB Buckingham Browne & Nichols | 2030 New E was the best player at the camp. He was certainly the most polished player among the linebackers. Shaw took good angles during tackling drills, but also stood out in pass coverage. He was able to stay with running backs and wide receivers, regardless of the route. He was also good when it came time to make a play on the ball. College coaches who worked the event called Shaw “very coachable.” He was selected as the camp’s top linebacker.