OLB Braylan Shelby says USC 'definitely pushed themselves to the top'

USC has been pursuing outside linebacker Braylan Shelby for a long time, well before he vaulted up the Rivals rankings this month, as he's now the No. 83 overall national prospect in the 2023 recruiting class.

He was and remains a top priority for the Trojans, and the feeling has been mutual throughout, but his official visit this weekend left him really thinking about the possibility of playing in Los Angeles.

"They've been a contender, but they've definitely pushed themselves to the top," Shelby told TrojanSports.com Sunday night after getting back home to Texas.

Shelby, the No. 5-ranked OLB in the class at an impressively athletic 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, was one of 24 official visitors on campus for USC in what was setup to be the biggest recruiting weekend of the summer for the program.

That visit included a memorable trip to Lincoln Riley's palatial home in Palos Verdes, a beach trip to Santa Monica, breakfast Sunday morning at Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center), and some valuable time with the coaches and fellow recruits alike.