Receiver-Roommate Duo of Scott, Shelton-Mosley Tops Offense

The first thing sophomore Justice Shelton-Mosley hears every morning is gospel music blaring from down the hall. Roommate and fellow receiver Adam Scott is already awake and getting ready to head across the river to the football facilities at Dillon Field House. By the time Shelton-Mosley is ready to go, Scott is already gone.

Their days usually follow a similar schedule. Get up early, head to the Field House, go to class. They always have a little time mid-day during the week to hang out and take naps. But being student-athletes in-season, that time is usually short. Unlike normal college roommates, most of the time spent between the two players is in class or on the field.

This season, Scott and Shelton-Mosley have become the focal points of Harvard’s receiving game. The roommates have missed a combined seven games throughout the season, yet they total a third of the team’s receiving yards. Shelton-Mosley and Scott are second and third on the team in total yards, respectively. Scott has also scored three touchdowns in only four games, the second highest mark on the team.

It’s interesting trying to compare the two players. On one hand, the two sophomores are remarkably similar. Both are relatively undersized (Scott is 5’7”, Shelton-Mosley is 5’9”) and rely on their quickness and speed to get open.

When asked what his favorite route to throw to each receiver is, senior quarterback Joe Viviano jokingly said “deep,” highlighting just how fast the players are. They’ve become the focal point of the team’s offense as the season has gone on.

But talking to them, differences become apparent. Scott is energetic and always has a smile on his face. He’s personable and charismatic. Shelton-Mosley, on the other hand, is subdued. He’s well-spoken, but tends not to wear his emotions on his sleeve.

That difference is shown in the way they play the game. Watching the Crimson play, it never seems like Shelton-Mosley is having as big a game as he is. He quietly runs near-perfect routes, making 10 to 15 yard catches down the sideline. But when he gets free, it’s clear that he’s the best player on the field. His football instincts are unmatched at this level.

The energy of Scott, however, is palpable. Viviano believes the Texas native is the fastest player on the team, and that quickness is shown as soon as he gets the ball in his hands. Scott relies on quick screens and short routes in order to showcase his talents. He’s fast, and he uses that to his advantage. There isn’t a player in the Ivy League that can catch him.

“They’re both unbelievable,” Viviano said. “Justice is probably a little bit better route runner, Adam is just better with the ball in his hands as soon as possible.”

Defending the two players is also an exceptionally different task according to cornerback and captain Sean Ahern. Depending on the position they’ve lined up at, the difficulty changes.

“[Scott is harder to cover] in the slot,” Ahern said. “He’s a little shiftier…. They’re both great players, they both bring it every single day, and they both love to compete so it’s nice to have those two guys on offense.”

The two players have taken remarkably different paths as well. Shelton-Mosley became a star last season. The Sacramento, Calif. native was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year and was on the All-Ivy first team as a returner, second team as a receiver. He racked up 589 yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman.

Scott, on the other hand, has been plagued by injuries throughout his short career. He was forced to sit out most of last season, only catching passes in three games.

Unlike his roommate, Scott’s breakout came this season. His injury troubles carried over to the beginning of this season. He’s only played in Harvard’s last four games, but he’s made a tangible impact.

Being injured and watching Shelton-Mosley have the season he did certainly gave Scott a new perspective on the game.

“It was a time where I really just got to be a student of the game,” Scott said. “Just watching him...do big things really motivated me to get back on the field.”

It’s clear that being roommates has had an impact on the two receivers. According to Shelton-Mosley, there are plenty of advantages to having a roommate who plays the same position as himself. They’re able to watch film together in their room outside of regular practices and discuss their releases and route-running.

Disadvantages?

“This guy stays up ‘til like, three, four a.m. every morning.” Shelton-Mosley said.

Their relationship extends well beyond the field, though. They spend most of their time outside of football in the same classes, as both are economics concentrators. They also spend a lot of time outside of football and class together. According to senior quarterback Joe Viviano, they both love to dance. They’re also, at least in their opinion, fashionable and try to outdress one another. It’s always a competition, but as with all competitions, someone has to win.

“Dance moves over to Adam,” Viviano said. “It’s competitive, but you can’t beat [Scott].”

As for who earns the title for the better dresser is? Both captain Sean Ahern and Viviano had the same answer: Justice.

—Staff writer Gant Player can be reached at wplayer@college.harvard.edu.