Elijah Paige (Southern California) plays the premium left tackle position. Despite missing time with injury in 2025, he’s earned first-round grades in some early 2026 mock drafts. What does the tape show?
Elijah Paige 2027 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report
Measurables
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 320 lbs
The Tape
Games Watched: Georgia Southern Eagles, at Purdue Boilermakers and at Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Strengths
Paige has excellent size for the position, and he moves extremely well for such a big man. Paige is so athletic, the Trojans pull him frequently, and the results are impressive. He also climbs to the second level effectively and under control.
USC left tackle Elijah Paige with an awesome block on this rep. He shows off his movement skills at 6'7" 320 lbs and then throws the LB to the ground to create a huge hole.#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/1I9gPsNGg7
— Paul Emery (@UKDraftFan) July 22, 2026
There are flashes of power as a run blocker, which tend to be when he moves and he can turn that speed into power.
When asked to work square on zone runs, Paige shows quick feet and good technique to do so. Again, he’s under control and balanced.
Paige is a good pass protector. He can deal with edge speed without having to overset outside. This means he can slide to his right to take away inside moves, all the while keeping a solid base. He can sit in his stance and mirror effectively.
Paige battles away with his hands. He understands leverage and is always working to get his hands under his man’s chest plate.
Areas to Improve
Paige missed time on two separate occasions in 2025 due to a lower body injury. The first injury was in week four against the Michigan State Spartans, which caused him to miss a month (and key tests against Michigan and Notre Dame).
Paige then suffered a knee injury against the Iowa Hawkeyes in week 12 and missed the remainder of the season. He had surgery to fix the problem, but the exact nature of the injury and subsequent surgery have not been released. This will be known to NFL scouts, and his medical at the NFL Combine will focus on his knee. If he suffers another injury-plagued season, durability will become a concern.
While Paige is effective as a run blocker on the move, he’s less so in small areas. While he doesn’t duck his head into contact, he ducks his head post-contact, leaving him off balance. He gets shed too frequently and is on the ground too much.
Despite being 320 lbs, Paige struggles to deal with power in pass protection. He gets stood up straight and walked back to his quarterback. That makes it difficult for him to work his hands under his man.
Paige’s initial hand placement in pass protection also needs to improve. His right/inside hand particularly starts outside and can then drift onto his man’s back. He also may have small hands, or need to be stronger with them, as he doesn’t get into his man’s chest and lock them up all the time. It keeps his man alive and free to try counters.
Elijah Paige (left tackle, #72) has to be mindful of his hand placement, particularly his inside/right hand. Watch where it ends up on this rep…#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/85PRMDgUu4
— Paul Emery (@UKDraftFan) July 22, 2026
Key Tests in 2026
The Trojans have a comfortable first four games, before hosting the Oregon Ducks and their excellent edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei. This will be the key matchup to watch for Paige in 2026. The next week sees Washington visit the Coliseum, followed by a trip to Penn State.
After a bye week and Wisconsin, preseason number one Ohio State comes out west. After a further bye week, they visit the national champions, Indiana.
The full schedule can be found here.
Elijah Paige 2027 NFL Draft Projection
Following a season impacted by two separate injuries, the guarded nature of his exact diagnosis makes a projection difficult. If Paige is 100% healthy and starts every game, the concern diminishes.
Paige has good pass protection tape, but as he missed the Michigan and Notre Dame games, he’s more of a projection right now. However, that projection is a good one with his size, ability to move, and solid base in pass protection.
If Paige can get stronger and prove more consistent in the running game, he will start to move up boards. Given he plays a premium position, a healthy and impressive 2026 will see him push for the first round without question.
Main Photo Courtesy of Darren Yamashita — Imagn Images
