Although he didn’t get drafted, 6’7″, 300 pound Austrian defensive lineman Thomas Schaffer was a hot enough commodity that the Chicago Bears grabbed him as soon as the 2021 NFL Draft was over.
The former Stanford University defensive lineman had impressed on his NFL Pro Day with 23 reps on the 225 pound bench press test. This past season, Schaffer shone as a starter in Stanford University’s athletic defense. In six games he totaled 20 tackles, four tackles for a loss, and three sacks. The fifth-year senior’s play on the field impressed teammates, opponents, and coaches alike. Schaffer’s massive leap forward in performance from his fourth to his fifth year had been in the works for a long time. After a redshirt season, seeing limited playing time, and battling injuries over his first three seasons, Schaffer finally cracked the rotation in 2019. The then fourth year player racked up 13 tackles and his first career sack after finally getting consistent snaps.
Schaffer took the momentum of his 2019 season and brought it into 2020 despite the adversity of the pandemic.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 ➡️ @NFL@THschaffer is the newest member of the @ChicagoBears! #GoStanford | #StanfordNFL pic.twitter.com/9EMCiNMD8P
— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) May 2, 2021