Three Ways Defensive End Braylan Shelby Can Raise NFL Draft Stock

As the USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley enter the 2026 season, defensive end Braylan Shelby could become one of USC’s most important players with his constant progression throughout his collegiate career.

If Shelby can become a major impact for the Trojans, he has the chance to significantly improve his draft stock for the 2027 NFL Draft.

USC Trojans Defensive End Braylan Shelby Improve NFL Draft Stock Next Season 2027 NFL Draft Prospect Big Ten — Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive end Braylan Shelby (10) celebrates with defensive end Kameryn Crawford (1) after bringing down Michigan State Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles (2) during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Elite Pass Rush Production

When NFL teams are evaluating defensive linemen, and specifically defensive ends, one of the more important areas is pass rush production and primarily the sack category.

For Shelby, he has shown the ability to be more productive each season after recording two sacks in 2023, three sacks in 2024, and 4.5 sacks in 2025. Standing at 6-5 and 265 pounds, Shelby definitely has the size to be successful against some of the top linemen in the Big Ten.

The ability for Shelby to significantly improve his sack production next season could be huge for his draft stock. There were six players selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft after finishing in the top 20 in the country for sack production last season.

If Shelby can become a productive pass rusher, he has plenty of opportunities to put his talent on display with matchups against Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, and Penn State looming for the Trojans in 2026. With these matchups, the production for Shelby could be critical for him to gain attention nationally, which could help him to potentially make a major climb in the draft process.

As Shelby heads into next season, his ability to be a productive pass rusher could help him to significantly climb draft boards and potentially have a chance to be one of the first edge rushers taken in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Generating Negative Plays In The Run Game

Another way for Shelby to increase his draft stock could be by generating negative plays for USC's defense against opposing rushing attacks, which should help the Trojans to be a much better defense overall.

Last season, USC allowed 143.23 rush yards per game, ranking 58th in the country. While the Trojans did a solid job overall against the run, there were a few games where opposing offenses were able to take over after dominating USC up front on the ground. Those games included matchups with Oregon and Notre Dame, where the Trojans had an opportunity to win, but because of their inability to stop the run, USC was not able to finish the game with a victory.

With that in mind, the 2026 season could be a chance for Shelby to take a major step forward in generating negative plays in the backfield. In Sheby’s career, he has recorded 16 tackles for loss with clear progression each season.

For Shelby, his 6-5 frame should help him to get great extension against offensive tackles and allow him to control the rep to set the edge well and fly up the field with his athleticism, which could become very disruptive against opposing offenses.

If Shelby can create negative plays in the backfield constantly with his length and athleticism, in addition to setting the edge, he has a great opportunity to improve his draft stock for next season’s draft as a defensive lineman who can be quite productive and disruptive as a run defender.

Consistent Availability

While having great physical traits will definitely help Shelby to significantly improve his draft stock, his consistent availability throughout his college career so far is something that could mean even more as he enters the 2026 season.

In his three-year career with USC, Shelby has played in 37 games, which showcases his ability to be durable on a normal basis and could be very valuable when it comes to NFL teams scouting college talent. Every season, many elite players have health concerns and can often fall down draft boards very quickly. For Shelby, this is an opportunity for him to control what he can control and continue to stay healthy and play in nearly every game during 2026.

With the durability that Shelby has shown, he seems to have developed great toughness in a conference like the Big Ten, which is very physical, and could be a trait that translates very well to the NFL. In addition to the toughness, Shelby has also gained a significant amount of experience that has helped him to understand the game at a much higher level, and could ultimately lead to his best collegiate season yet.

With Shelby’s availability, toughness, and experience, many NFL teams may start to rank him higher on draft boards, which could put him in a position to be one of USC’s top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft and lead the Trojans to an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google