Which football players should typically wear cantilevered shoulder pads?

Cantilevered shoulder pads are designed for players who require additional protection and support, particularly those involved in heavy contact during plays. Defensive linemen, who are often engaged in blocking and tackling situations that involve high levels of impact, benefit significantly from the structure and padding provided by cantilevered shoulder pads.

These pads feature a design that allows for increased coverage and stability, which helps reduce the risk of injury in the shoulders and upper body. Given the nature of their position, which involves a lot of physical confrontations at the line of scrimmage, defensive linemen particularly need the robust protection that cantilevered shoulder pads offer.

In contrast, while quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs do engage in contact, their roles may not necessitate the same level of protection. Quarterbacks require lightweight gear for mobility, wide receivers often focus on speed and agility, and running backs also balance between speed and the need for some level of protection, but generally do not endure the most physical confrontations like defensive linemen do.