Debate Rages on Over Where Auburn DE Keldric Faulk will Go in Draft

Auburn Tigers edge rusher Keldric Faulk found himself in the first round of this week’s mock drafts via NFL.com, ESPN, and CBS. However, the landing spots for the standout junior varied as draft insiders continue to be conflicted on his true potential.

ESPN’s Field Yates was the highest on Faulk this week, mocking him to the Dallas Cowboys at Pick 20, Dallas’ second selection of the first round, thanks to the Micah Parsons trade with the Green Bay Packers.

“Faulk was in the conversation as a top-10 prospect after seven sacks in 2024, but he had just two in 2025,” Yates wrote. “This pick would be a calculated bet on his upside at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds with smooth movement skills, stout hands to set the edge in the running game and overall growth potential.”

As pointed out by Yates, the hype for Faulk steadily tapered off in 2025 due to a lack of production despite Auburn’s stout defense. Though he remained exceptionally effective vs the run, Faulk’s lack of ability to get to the quarterback consistently has drawn some concern at the next level. Though at just 20 years of age, he will have ample time to develop those abilities.

The Cowboys struggled to rush the passer with any semblance of success after the losses of Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, turning to Jadeveon Clowney, James Houston, and Dante Fowler Jr off the edge. Faulk would give Dallas a strong young power rush option to pair with the speed of Donovan Ezeiruaku, whom the Cowboys selected in the second round of the 2025 Draft.

CBS’s Garrett Podell has Faulk going in a very similar range, mocking him to the Los Angeles Chargers at Pick 20 despite the Chargers’ disastrous offensive line situation.

“Faulk can line up anywhere along the defensive line with his prototypical stature,” Podell wrote. “He's not a jump-off-the-screen, explosive type, but he's agile. Faulk frees himself up by rushing the passer with a bull rush or rip. Faulk could be helped by developing some counter moves when his top options don't yield immediate results.”

Even with Khalil Mack possibly leaving Los Angeles in free agency, passing on a quality offensive guard prospect such as Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon to select an edge rusher would be a surprise, given that the Chargers’ interior offensive line resembled three turnstiles at SoFi Stadium’s entrance.

However, Faulk does fit the Harbaugh mold of a powerful, three-down edge player that can both stop the run and add some pass rush upside if developed properly. He would join three-year starter Tuli Tuipolotu, who is coming off a 13-sack campaign in 2025.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuer was the lowest of the three on Faulk this week, mocking him to the San Francisco 49ers at Pick 27. The landing spot would be incredibly fun given San Francisco’s current edge talent and very telling of the 49ers' expectations of Faulk’s defensive role.

“After taking Mykel Williams last April, the 49ers go with a Round 1 edge rusher for a second straight year -- because Faulk's value is too strong to ignore,” Reuer wrote. “His length and size on the outside will come in handy, especially with depth pieces like Clelin Ferrell and Yetur Gross-Matos headed for free agency while Williams and Nick Bosa will be coming back from torn ACLs.”

Though the idea of Faulk working alongside talents like Bosa and Williams is incredibly intriguing, it would likely come in the form of Faulk lining up on the interior while Bosa and Williams manned the edges. San Francisco is highly unlikely to abandon the idea of Williams as a three-down edge player this early into his career after selecting him with the No. 11 Pick last year.

However, the 49ers also have the unfortunate reputation of being the most injured team in the NFL, a designation they have more than earned in recent seasons. With Bosa and Williams both returning from ACL tears, having a talent like Faulk could give each player more time to come back on a safe timetable rather than rushing. Additionally, the extra depth would be extremely valuable if one of the three were to be injured again.

Though it’s clear Faulk might not be taken in the top-10 as was expected preseason, his new projected range around Pick 20 could mean that he is quickly part of a playoff team with a chance to chase a Super Bowl, which could also increase his chance to be developed properly.

Six former Auburn Football standouts have been invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine scheduled for February 23 through March 2 in Indianapolis, the league announced on Wednesday.

Projected by many outlets as a first-round selection, defensive lineman Keldric Faulk headlines the group. He will be joined by fellow defensive linemen Keyron Crawford and Bobby Jamison-Travis.

Also invited to Indianapolis are a trio of Auburn offensive linemen: Connor Lew, Dillon Wade and Jeremiah Wright.

Auburn is one of 23 programs nationally with six or more invitees including 12 programs in the SEC. The Tigers’ six selections are the most for the program since nine were picked in 2020.

The combine is held annually at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.

Live coverage of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine begins Feb. 26 on NFL Network and NFL+. The 2026 NFL Draft is set for April 23 to April 25 in Pittsburgh.

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