2026 Auburn Draft Pick Signs Four-Year Deal with Las Vegas Raiders

A former Auburn Tiger has landed his first payday in the NFL, as on Monday, the Las Vegas Raiders announced that they had signed Keyron Crawford to a four-year, $7.376 million contract.

He is the second rookie Tiger to sign with an NFL team this year, as fellow draftee Keldric Faulk recently signed a similar four-year deal with the Tennessee Titans.

Crawford was selected with the 67th pick of this year’s draft as a third-round pick.

Crawford, who committed to Arkansas State as a three-star prospect, spent two seasons with Arkansas State before transferring to Auburn ahead of his junior season. He was also a three-star in the transfer portal when Hugh Freeze committed him as part of his 2024 transfer portal class.

The edge rusher’s best collegiate season, at least by counting stats, actually came before his time at Auburn, as he accumulated 44 tackles, 22 solo tackles and 5.5 sacks in his sophomore season at Arkansas State, which may have been the reason he decided he was ready for SEC-level competition, as well as why he was a big pickup for Hugh Freeze.

Crawford wasted no time in making his presence known on the Plains. In his first season with Auburn, he managed to string together a 22-tackle, 16-solo-tackle season, including PFF Team of the Week honors for his efforts in the Tigers’ loss to Kentucky, which, ironically, resulted in the firing of Hugh Freeze..

His second, and final, season with the Tigers was where he generated most of his NFL buzz, though, as he put together a near career-high 36 tackles with a career-high 28 solo tackles, as well as forcing the first two turnovers of his career with a forced fumble and an interception.

In his senior season with the Tigers, Crawford netted PFSN First-Team All-SEC honors as well as PFF Third-Team All-SEC honors, so it is understandable that he has generated some significant buzz, was swept up in this year’s NFL Draft and is now earning a big-time paycheck.

Without Crawford or Faulk, the Tigers will move to other pieces for their team’s future, though there is still no shortage of talent on the Plains. The Tigers still have Jared Smith, who is currently expected to be one of the starters off the edge despite his youth, but the former four-star talent could be a dynamic piece for DJ Durkin in 2026.

Additionally, Chris Murray, who played for the Tigers last year after transferring in from Sam Houston State, was approved for an extra year of eligibility a few months back, so he may also be a key piece in the Tigers’ rotation.

Golesh has gone to work in the portal, as well; Senior Ole Miss transfer Da’Shawn Womack is perhaps the most highly anticipated piece of this unit for the upcoming season, as the four-star transfer managed to put together 27 tackles, 14 solo tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in his most recent season.

For the future, the Tigers have signed two top-level edge rushers for their class of 2027 group, which is currently ranked among the best in the country. Leading the charge is four-star Maryland native James Pace, who will go to work with three-star Rion Jackson and the rest of the Tigers’ 2027 class.

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