Long before the size, a set of shoulder pads is chosen by its cut, and manufacturers state in writing which positions each cut is drawn for. This guide collects those statements, position by position, for the models in the AFG catalogue. We have run no field testing, so nothing below is an opinion.
Contents · 8 parts
The 2-minute summary
- Three cuts: Schutt, VICIS and Xenith all separate a skill cut, an all-purpose cut and a line or trench cut.
- The positions come from the brands: Schutt draws its skill cut for QB, WR and DB and its Line cut for OL, DL and DE; VICIS draws its Trench cut for OL, DL, DE and TE.
- The cut sets the size range: the line and trench cuts in our catalogue start at L, while the skill cut stops at XL.
- Kickers and punters: no manufacturer in the catalogue names them on a shoulder pad page.
- Add-ons matter: back plates, rib protectors and sternum plates bolt onto the pads and adjust for height.
- Youth players: both youth models in the catalogue are sold in a single all-purpose cut, with no position variants.
The three cuts, seen from the front
Football shoulder pads do not simply change size from one position to the next: they change shape. From a skill cut to a line cut, the chest widens and the neck opening grows.
| Cut | Positions named by the manufacturer | Reference model |
|---|---|---|
| Skill | QB, WR, DB | Schutt XV Flux Skill |
| All-Purpose | "a wide range of positions" | Schutt XV Flux All-Purpose |
| All Purpose | QB, RB, WR, DB | Xenith Velocity 2 |
| Line | OL, DL, DE | Schutt XV Line Flux |
| Trench | OL, DL, DE, TE | VICIS ARC_V1 Varsity Trench |
Sizing is a separate question. Shoulder width, the per-model charts and the way the measurement is taken are gathered in our shoulder pad sizing guide.
Position by position
Quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back
Schutt puts these three positions in its skill cut: the Schutt XV Flux Skill is presented as designed for skill positions, meaning QB, WR and DB. It combines a split-back arch that contours to the player's shape, a tapered V-shape and 1-inch swivel belts. Xenith names the same three positions plus the running back for the Xenith Velocity 2, which it nonetheless classes as All Purpose coverage, with a full arch and removable deltoid pads. The Velocity 2 line also includes an adult version with aluminium rails, the Velocity 2 Pro Varsity, and a youth version, the Velocity 2 JV, both advertised by Xenith as fitting all positions.
A European maker takes the same line: Barnett lists the Barnett Vision I for the quarterback, the wide receiver and the defensive back, with a nylon and PVC shell over dual-density foam. VICIS also sells the VICIS ARC_V1 Varsity Skill for these positions, with CURV thermoplastic composite arches and epaulette and a VICIS back plate included as standard.
Running back, linebacker, tight end
These are the positions brands address least explicitly. Xenith names the running back in its All Purpose list. Schutt stays deliberately broad for the Schutt XV Flux All-Purpose, which it announces for a wide range of positions, with Tactical Full-Arch protection aimed at impact players. VICIS is the only brand in the catalogue to name the linebacker: the VICIS ARC_V1 Varsity All-Purpose lists it alongside the running back and tight end, built in CURV thermoplastic composite with a VICIS back plate included as standard.
The tight end is the exception: VICIS lists it inside the Trench cut, alongside the line positions. It is the only position in the catalogue that appears on both sides of the divide.
Offensive line and defensive line
VICIS states that its Trench cut is designed for OL, DL, DE, TE and those on the line. The VICIS ARC_V1 Varsity Trench uses CURV thermoplastic composite for its arches and epaulette, with a locking epaulette that protects the AC joint on impact, and a VICIS back plate supplied with the pads. The line-up also includes a higher-tier version, the VICIS ARC_V1 Elite Trench, with a lightweight base and external arches in woven thermoplastic composite, also supplied with a VICIS back plate.
Schutt follows the same logic with its Line cut, built for OL, DL and DE. Two details from that page are worth keeping for the offensive line and the defensive line: a wider neck opening, which the brand ties to better pre-snap head positioning, and 1.5-inch swivel belts against 1 inch on the skill and all-purpose cuts. For the rest of what a lineman wears, see our guide to lineman football gear.
Kicker and punter
One manufacturer page in our catalogue does name the kicker and the punter: VICIS group K/P with the quarterback, the receiver and the defensive back among the positions the Skill cut of the ARC_V1 Varsity Skill is designed for. In other words, the kicking specialist is treated as a skill position: the same pad as a quarterback or a receiver, narrow across the chest with a tighter neck opening. No other manufacturer we recorded goes into that much detail for these two positions.
The pieces you bolt on by position
Shoulder pads are rarely worn bare. Three separate pieces attach to them, and how useful each one is depends on the position and on how much contact it takes.
- The back plate covers the lower back. The Schutt XV Varsity Back Plate adjusts across several height positions and fastens with a coated belt connection; the Xenith plate uses adjustable coated nylon straps and, according to the brand, fits every Xenith shoulder pad and most other brands. VICIS pre-installs its plate on all ARC_V1 pads. The full set sits in the back plates collection.
- The rib protector hangs down the flank, below the arch. The Schutt model is also height-adjustable; the Douglas D2 wraps around the torso and adds grommet holes so the rib combo can be raised or lowered, but it is built for D2 series pads and may need adjusting on another series. Our models live in the rib protectors collection.
- The sternum plate sits over the upper chest. Xenith builds a low-profile sternum plate into the Velocity 2, Schutt a reinforced removable sternum guard into its youth model, and Barnett sells a removable front plate on its own.
One caveat covers all three: compatibility is announced by series, not as universal. Douglas, Schutt and VICIS each name the pads their accessories are built for.
A fourth piece also mounts at the back, around the neck opening, but it has largely disappeared from recent shoulder pads, which now build their own neck roll in: the neck roll, covered in our guide on the football neck roll.
Youth players get a single cut
None of the youth shoulder pads in the catalogue split by position. Schutt presents the Schutt Youth Flux with a tactical all-purpose arch for every position, a Pro-Motion independent arch system and a reinforced removable sternum guard. VICIS describes the VICIS ARC_V1 Youth along the same lines: an all-purpose arch suited to every position, high-density polyethylene arches, a widened neck opening and an EXO Shield system for the chest and sternum. It is quoted at 1,474 g. Battle follows the same logic with two youth pads: the Battle Phantom Youth, its entry-level pad with a sternum protector enlarged 30% as of 2026, and the Battle Defender Transformers, a limited Transformers-licensed colourway built, per Battle, to the same construction as its standard adult Defender.
For a young player still moving between positions from one season to the next, that is the logic of the market: one cut, and the fitting is done on size alone.
What manufacturers do not publish
Three gaps are worth stating rather than filling:
- Weight is published by neither Schutt nor VICIS for the adult pads in the catalogue. The only figures on record are the Xenith Velocity 2 at 1,633 g in size L, the VICIS ARC_V1 Youth and the Barnett MARK I.
- No certification at all, NOCSAE, SEI or CE, is displayed by the brands for these shoulder pads, unlike football helmets.
- Epaulette coverage on Schutt's Line cut is not detailed on its product page, so we do not describe it.
FAQ
Should a linebacker take a skill cut or an all-purpose cut?
VICIS is the only brand in the catalogue to name the linebacker, in the All-Purpose cut of the ARC_V1 Varsity All-Purpose, alongside the running back and tight end. Xenith lists its All Purpose model for QB, RB, WR and DB, and Schutt announces its All-Purpose cut for a wide range of positions without naming any.
Does a tight end wear receiver pads or lineman pads?
VICIS places the tight end inside its Trench cut, with the OL, DL and DE. No manufacturer in the catalogue files it under a skill cut.
What actually changes between a skill cut and a line cut?
On Schutt's pages: the skill cut has a split-back arch, a tapered V-shape and 1-inch belts; the Line cut has a wider neck opening, which the brand ties to pre-snap head positioning, and 1.5-inch belts.
Does every position need a back plate?
No manufacturer makes it compulsory. VICIS supplies one as standard on the ARC_V1, while Schutt and Xenith sell theirs separately, with height adjustment or adjustable straps.
Sources
- Schutt, XV Skill Shoulder Pads – Flux: https://schuttsports.com/products/xv-skill-shoulder-pads-flux
- Schutt, XV All-Purpose Shoulder Pads – Flux: https://schuttsports.com/products/xv-all-purpose-shoulder-pads-flux
- Schutt, XV Line Shoulder Pads – Flux: https://schuttsports.com/products/xv-line-shoulder-pads-flux
- Schutt, Youth Flux Shoulder Pads: https://schuttsports.com/products/youth-flux-shoulder-pads
- VICIS, ARC_V1 Varsity Shoulder Pads – Trench: https://vicis.com/products/arc_v1-varsity-shoulder-pads-trench
- VICIS, ARC_V1 Youth Football Shoulder Pads: https://vicis.com/products/arc_v1-youth-football-shoulder-pads
- Xenith, Velocity 2: https://www.xenith.com/products/velocity-2-adult
- Xenith, Back Plate: https://www.xenith.com/products/back-plate
- Barnett, Vision I: https://www.barnett.fr/products/vision-i-epauliere-de-football-americain-light-rb