Use maven plugins (animal-sniffer?) to ensure that code and dependencies conform to the supported minimum version

Every now and then, one of us uses syntax or a class from a higher version of Java than what we use.

Or otherwise, one of us will use a dependency that's been compiled in Java X+1 while the build is based on Java X.

Can we prevent discovering these mistakes too late by using the animal-sniffer plugin?

One of the more important points here is that using the animal-sniffer (or another plugin that can be used for this) must not significantly delay or prolong the build!