Justin Shorter Bio
Justin D. Shorter (born April 17, 2000) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and listed at 227 lb (103 kg), he plays a sizeable perimeter role for the Raiders, where he was listed on injured reserve as of the most recent roster update. Before reaching the NFL, Shorter developed as a multi-year starter in the Big Ten and SEC, sharpening a physical receiving profile built on contested catches and red-zone size.
Shorter came to professional football through a college path that split between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida Gators, a route that exposed him to two distinct offensive systems. That background, paired with a 2023 NFL draft selection by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round, established him as a developmental receiver whose journey has continued with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Early Life and Background
Justin D. Shorter was born on April 17, 2000, in Princeton, New Jersey, and raised in the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick, New Jersey. Growing up in the South Brunswick area, he became part of a strong local football culture that fed into his prep career at South Brunswick High School. His listed height of 6 ft 4 in and his frame of 227 lb were evident from his early playing days, traits that shaped the receiver he would become.
At South Brunswick High School, Shorter played prep football and built the foundation for his eventual college recruitment. His combination of size and athleticism drew attention from Power Five programs, and his development through high school set the stage for a Big Ten opportunity. Family and community ties in central New Jersey remained part of his early identity as he prepared to leave for college.
Path to American Football
Shorter’s first major step came when he enrolled at Penn State, joining a program known for producing NFL-caliber receivers. As a true freshman, he appeared in four games and recorded three receptions for 20 yards before redshirting the season, an early sign that the staff saw him as a long-term developmental piece. The following year, his redshirt freshman campaign produced 12 receptions for 137 yards across ten games, a steady statistical line that nonetheless led him to seek a new environment.
Rather than continue at Penn State, Shorter entered the NCAA transfer portal and committed to the Florida Gators. After receiving a waiver from the NCAA, he was granted immediate eligibility, allowing him to play without sitting out a season. The move to the SEC gave him a fresh platform to expand his role and prepare for the NFL draft. Over his three seasons at Florida, he developed into a more polished possession receiver, refining the traits that would later attract NFL evaluators.
Justin Shorter Career
Early Career (2018–2022)
Shorter’s college career began at Penn State during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, where he worked primarily in a developmental capacity. His first year with the Nittany Lions featured four games of action and three catches for 20 yards before a redshirt season kept him out of expanded duty. A redshirt freshman season in 2019 brought 12 receptions for 137 yards in ten games, providing modest but encouraging production before his decision to transfer.
Following his move to the Florida Gators, Shorter’s role grew noticeably across three seasons. As a redshirt sophomore in his first Florida season, he recorded 25 receptions for 268 yards and three touchdowns, establishing himself as a reliable intermediate target. His redshirt junior year brought 41 catches for 550 yards and three touchdowns, a clear step forward in usage and efficiency. In his redshirt senior season, he added 29 receptions for 577 yards and two touchdowns before declaring for the 2023 NFL draft and opting out of the 2022 Las Vegas Bowl.
NFL Breakthrough (2023)
Shorter’s NFL career officially began in the 2023 NFL draft, when the Buffalo Bills selected him in the fifth round with the 150th overall pick. The selection reflected his size, contested-catch ability, and multi-conference college résumé. Coming out of Florida, he was viewed as a developmental boundary receiver with the frame to contribute on special teams and in red-zone packages.
His rookie season in Buffalo was cut short before the regular opener when he was placed on injured reserve on August 30, 2023. The placement stalled his on-field development and limited his opportunity to showcase his skill set in a Bills offense. As a result, his most significant early professional experience came through practice and preparation rather than regular-season game action.
Las Vegas Raiders Era (2024–Present)
Shorter’s NFL journey continued on August 29, 2024, when he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad after being released by the Bills as part of final roster cuts on August 27, 2024. The Raiders promoted him to the active roster on November 1, 2024, opening the door to his first regular-season playing time. Through 17 career NFL games played as of the 2025 season, he has also contributed 3 tackles, an indication of his work on special teams coverage units.
The 2025 offseason brought another roster shuffle when the Raiders waived Shorter as part of final cuts on August 26, 2025, and re-signed him to the practice squad the next day. He returned to the active roster on September 5 before being waived on October 27 following the team’s signing of veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett. The Raiders quickly re-signed him to the practice squad on October 28, maintaining his role in the organization. On January 5, 2026, Shorter signed a reserve/future contract with Las Vegas, and on May 4 he was placed on injured reserve as the team prepared for its next campaign.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Shorter’s early professional career are his fifth-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft, his first promotion to an active roster with the Raiders in November 2024, and the reserve/future contract he signed with Las Vegas in January 2026. Each step reflects persistence after an early injured-reserve stint in Buffalo and multiple practice-squad transitions with the Raiders.
Justin Shorter Career Wins
Wins in the traditional statistical sense are not the primary lens for a young wide receiver whose career is still in its developmental phase. Instead, Justin D. Shorter’s professional résumé is measured through roster milestones, draft placement, and steady advancement between practice-squad and active-roster roles. His career NFL statistics show 17 games played and 3 tackles, reflecting a profile built around special teams and depth responsibilities rather than headline offensive production.
NFL Highlights
Shorter’s most notable NFL highlight remains his selection in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills, a placement that confirmed his status as a draftable professional prospect out of Florida. His transition from Bills rookie to Raiders practice-squad member, and then to active roster, marks the principal arc of his young league career. The reserve/future contract signed on January 5, 2026, underscores the Raiders’ continued investment in his development.
Other Performances
Beyond the NFL, Shorter’s strongest performances came across three seasons with the Florida Gators, where he produced 95 receptions, 1,395 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns combined across his sophomore, junior, and senior campaigns. His 577-yard redshirt senior season stands as his most productive college year, while his time at Penn State provided the developmental base that made the transfer to Florida possible.
Justin Shorter Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public information about Justin D. Shorter’s parents and immediate family members is limited, and verifiable details about his upbringing beyond his South Brunswick, New Jersey, hometown are not widely documented. His high school ties to South Brunswick High School and his Monmouth Junction roots remain the most clearly established elements of his family and community background. As a private individual early in his NFL career, Shorter has kept most personal matters outside the public record.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season for Justin D. Shorter was defined by movement between the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad and active roster rather than sustained offensive production. He was waived as part of final cuts on August 26, 2025, returned to the practice squad a day later, and rejoined the active roster on September 5. His active-roster tenure ended on October 27 when the Raiders signed veteran receiver Tyler Lockett, prompting Shorter’s waiver before a quick re-signing to the practice squad on October 28.
Through this sequence, Shorter continued to build his special teams value, contributing tackles while staying ready for offensive opportunities when called upon. The reserve/future contract signed in January 2026 was a clear indicator that the Raiders viewed him as part of their long-term depth chart at wide receiver. With an injured-reserve designation in May, his early offseason focus has shifted toward health and recovery ahead of the next competitive window.
Looking ahead, Shorter’s outlook centers on returning from injured reserve and re-establishing himself within the Raiders’ receiving corps. His combination of size, multi-conference college experience, and proven special teams usefulness gives him a defined role to reclaim once healthy. Continued development in contested catches and route detail will be central to his push for a more permanent spot on the Las Vegas active roster.