Joey Schlaffer is not just the little brother any more
Joey Schlaffer always looked up to his older brothers, Christian and Michal Menet — at least until he got to junior high. He’s looked down upon them ever since.
Schlaffer went through an incredible growth spurt that saw him shoot up 14 inches over a two-year span, to 6-6, a couple inches taller than Christian or Michal, each of whom starred on the football field at Exeter.
That growth spurt helps a lot when Schlaffer is out on a pass route and is able to reach above defensive backs to pluck passes out of the sky.
His size has helped him gain notice from major college football coaches, too: He has collected 16 offers, with recent ones from Power 5 schools such as Tennessee, Maryland and West Virginia.
His rapid vertical increase came at a price, however.
“The worst part is my shoes,” said Schlaffer, a junior receiver for the Eagles. “I was out-growing shoes within months when I was in junior high.”
He now wears a size 17, which you won’t find on the shelves of any local sporting goods stores; he has to shop on-line for his footwear these days.
No complaints, though.
“I’m blessed to be able to have the height that I have, and the ability that I have,” Schlaffer said.
Those physical blessings helped him earn a starting spot at wide receiver a couple weeks into his freshman season; he was Receiver of the Year in Section 1 of the Berks Football League last season after averaging 23.3 yards on his 20 receptions.
Schlaffer has obviously benefited from a strong gene pool. His father, Joe, played college basketball; his mother, Sherry was a runner. (His maternal grandfather is 6-7; that’s where his height comes from.)
His half-brothers, Christian and Michal, each left their mark on the football field with the Eagles.
Christian was an All-Berks tight end and defensive lineman in 2011 and a big reason the Eagles were able to rise from the depths of Section 1 to become one of the top programs in the league.
Michal was a three-time All-State lineman, a three-year starter at Penn State and a seventh-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2021; he was the leader of Exeter’s 2015 Section 1 championship team — the Eagles’ only title over the past 20 years.
Schlaffer didn’t have to look far for good role models.
“I always looked up to them and wanted to be the kind of players they were,” he said. “They set great paths. They taught me how to be a football player, how to be respectful to teammates, how to be a good person. The path of success was shown clearly from Day 1.”
Schlaffer always wanted to follow that path but wasn’t sure of himself until he began to have success in ninth grade.
“I didn’t have a good grasp of my ability until I got to high school,” he said. “(That’s when I) realized I could be a dominant player, and could go somewhere with this, like my brothers did.”
Schlaffer lined up as a wide receiver the past two seasons but will be utilized as a flex tight end this season. His dedication in the weight room and the added strength it provided will allow him to handle blocking duties when needed. He’s still lean at 205 pounds but is physical enough to handle more traditional tight end duties.
| Joey Schlaffer’s offers |
| Jacksonville State |
| Old Dominion |
| Bowling Green |
| Pittsburgh |
| Rutgers |
| Connecticut |
| Michigan State |
| Akron |
| Nebraska |
| Virginia |
| Arizona State |
| West Virginia |
| Cincinnati |
| Tennessee |
| Maryland |
| Boston College |
“He puts his face in there, he’s not afraid to block,” said Eagles coach Matt Bauer. “He never shied away from contact; he was never afraid to go across the middle. He took some big shots.”
Schlaffer also could see action on defense for the first time; he’ll compete for playing time at safety when training camp opens. His athleticism, size and wingspan will help him there.
“He’s definitely improving every time he steps on the field,” Bauer said. “He’s in great shape, works hard. Now he’s mentally mature and more focused and taking a leadership role.”
Schlaffer played quarterback in junior high but quickly adapted to wide receiver as a ninth-grader. He credits Alex Javier, a senior that season and the most prolific receiver in program history, with taking him under his wing.
He believes his basketball background — he was second on team in scoring as a sophomore, at 10.7 points per game — has also helped him develop as a receiver.
“Basketball is such an athletic sport,” he said. “The ball skills, jumping for rebounds, contesting (rebounds) … it’s pretty much the same thing (in football).
“Learning how to move with your body and box people out … footwork in the paint, to make cuts… it all translates directly to the football field.”
