Height: 6-4

Weight: 303 pounds

Year: Junior

Pro Comparison: Kawann Short

Pros for Justin Scott

• Scott brings an NFL-ready frame to the table, which includes a strong lower half and length to play multiple alignments 
• His combination of raw power and explosiveness makes Scott extremely difficult to stop at the point of attack 
• There have been some impressive reps as a pass rusher from Scott, possessing the length and closing speed to create havoc in the backfield 
• We have seen Scott play a variety of alignments already during his Miami career, and he should project favorably to either an even or odd front on the next level 
• Scott has made several impressive hustle plays during his college career, showcasing the talent to retrace his step and make plays in pursuit 

Cons for Justin Scott

• Scott is a very linear player, lacking the hip fluidity to consistently bend a track as a pass rusher 
• When Scott’s engaged with a blocker, he can get easily knocked off his track and get displaced in the running game 
• He is still a raw football player, lacking the hand usage and nuance to make a ton of plays behind the line of scrimmage 

Background

Scott was considered to be an elite player coming out of Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius in the 2024 recruiting class. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Scott ended up ranked as a five-star, the No. 10 overall player, the No. 3 defensive lineman, and the No. 1 player from the state of Illinois for the 2024 class. Miami won out over offers from Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, Nebraska, Auburn, Missouri, Colorado, Michigan State, Washington, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, Rutgers, and Syracuse, among others.

After serving as a reserve in 2024, Scott became a starter this past season. During that breakout campaign as a sophomore, he finished fifth on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss. In two seasons, Scott has played in 27 games. During that stretch, he has recorded 33 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, and a pass breakup. Scott is expected to become one of the best in the country heading into next season.

Player Evaluation

A former five-star player in the 2024 recruiting class for Miami, it is easy to see why when you watch Justin Scott move. Scott brings an NFL-ready frame to the table, which includes a strong lower half and length to play multiple alignments. His combination of raw power and explosiveness makes Scott extremely difficult to stop at the point of attack. There have been some impressive reps as a pass rusher from Scott at times, possessing the length and closing speed to create havoc in the backfield. We have seen Scott play a variety of alignments already during his Miami career, and he should project favorably to either an even or odd front on the next level. That versatile is key for the modern NFL that wants variety. Scott has made several impressive hustle plays during his college career, showcasing the talent to retrace his step and make plays in pursuit. Showing that type of effort for a player this talented is impressive.

Scott is a very linear player, lacking the hip fluidity and flexibility to consistently bend a track as a pass rusher. When Scott’s engaged with a blocker, he can get easily knocked off his track and get displaced in the running game. He is still a raw football player, lacking the hand usage and nuance to make a ton of plays behind the line of scrimmage. Scott will need to take a substantial step during the 2026 season to be ready to make the jump to the NFL.

There is no question that Scott has all the tools to eventually develop into a plus starter on the next level. His combination of size, length, explosiveness, and versatility is a great baseline to build on. This is a potential first round selection if he takes that next step.