Which type of football shoulder pads should I choose?

There are two styles of football shoulder pads: cantilevered and noncantilevered. Cantilevered pads are bulkier and disperse force into the pads rather than the shoulder. These pads are designed for players that block and tackle. Noncantilevered pads do not restrict the motion of the shoulder as much as the cantilevered. For this reason, quarterbacks, receivers, and youth players prefer this style. (This answer provided for NATA by the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Education Program.)