ScoutIndex

HOU HOU

Sheldon Rankins

DT

Sheldon Rankins came into the league as a 1st-round selection (12th overall) in 2016, drafted out of Louisville. He's currently with HOU, in his 11th season in the league. He posted a 52.7 ScoutIndex Rating last season, an above-average mark that placed him in the 62nd percentile among DEFs.

Size

6'2", 305#

College

Louisville

Draft

Rd 1, 12th overall (2016)

Seasons

2016–2026

2021 ScoutIndex Rating · DEF

Methodology
55.2

66th percentile among DEFs

15 games

Splash plays×0.15-0.44
Pass rush×0.3+0.73
Ball skills×0.25-0.68
Run defense×0.2+0.62
Availability×0.1+1.02

Career (regular season)

SeasonTmSIGPass ydsPass TDRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
2026HOU62.66
2025HOU52.715
2024CIN41.67
2023HOU70.812
2022NYJ5315
2021NYJ55.215
2020NO47.911
2019NO51.56
2018NO74.116
2017NO59.412
2016NO58.19

Career profile

Sheldon Rankins has appeared in 124 regular-season games across 11 NFL seasons on file, playing for 5 teams: NO (2016–2020), NYJ (2021–2022), HOU (2023), CIN (2024), HOU (2025–2026).

By the ScoutIndex Rating, his best qualified season was 2018: a 74.1, in the 93rd percentile among DEFs that year.

2021 splits

regular season

2021 game log

WkOppLineScore
Week 1CAR—40.5
Week 2NE—75.9
Week 3DEN—39.8
Week 4TEN—40.4
Week 5ATL—40.1
Week 7NE—40.1
Week 8CIN—95.1
Week 9IND—40.2
Week 10BUF—39.9
Week 11MIA—41.3
Week 12HOU—61.2
Week 14NO—60.3
Week 15MIA—55.5
Week 16JAX—41.4
Week 18BUF—41.1

Sheldon Rankins — common questions

What position does Sheldon Rankins play?
Sheldon Rankins is listed as a DT.
Which teams has Sheldon Rankins played for?
In the seasons on file (1999 onward), Sheldon Rankins has played for NO (2016–2020), NYJ (2021–2022), HOU (2023), CIN (2024), HOU (2025–2026).
Where did Sheldon Rankins go to college?
Sheldon Rankins played college football at Louisville.
When was Sheldon Rankins drafted?
Sheldon Rankins was selected in round 1, 12th overall, of the 2016 NFL Draft.
How many touchdowns has Sheldon Rankins scored?
Sheldon Rankins has no rushing, receiving or passing touchdowns in the regular-season games on file.
What is Sheldon Rankins's ScoutIndex Rating?
Sheldon Rankins rated 62.6 for 2026, the 81st percentile among DEFs (provisional or limited sample). Ratings run 0–99; about 60 is a league-average qualified starter.

Related players

Top teammates, last season on file

Drafted in round 1, 2016

Also from Louisville