Where Auburn DE Keldric Faulk is Predicted to Land After Falling in CBS Sports' Latest Mock Draft

Auburn Tigers defensive end Keldric Faulk is one of the top defenders in this year's draft class.

Auburn Tigers defensive end Keldric Faulk is one of the top defenders in this year's draft class. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite a dominant stretch of seasons with the Auburn Tigers, defensive end Keldric Faulk has fallen one notable mock draft for this year’s NFL Draft. The junior, who posted 23 solo tackles and two sacks throughout his third season with the Tigers, fell in CBS Sports’ mock draft from the 12th spot to the 15th spot in the wake of the Senior Bowl.

Notably, Faulk, the youngest player in this year’s draft at 20 years old, did not participate in the Senior Bowl on account of his early entrance in the draft, a decision that shook up many rankings.

What happens next for the Auburn Tigers? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Auburn Tigers news delivered to your inbox daily!

While he fell, CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson still had high praise for the former Tiger.

“First, Faulk just turned 20 in September,” Wilson wrote. “Second, he's unofficially 6-foot-6 and 288 pounds, and he is already near-elite as a run defender. The power and athleticism with which he plays make it an easy projection to see him as a dominant pass rusher down the road. Maybe it doesn't happen until, say, Year 2 in the league, but when it all comes together, it's going to be scary.”

In the 12th spot, where CBS Sports’ Josh Wilson had Faulk landing back in late January, Faulk would head to Dallas, while Ryan Wilson has a post-Senior Bowl Faulk headed to Tampa Bay to play for the Buccaneers.

Faulk was a key part of multiple high-level Auburn defenses throughout his career, posting a total of 110 tackles, 74 solo tackles, 10 sacks and a forced fumble over three seasons with the Tigers. This has earned him CBS Sports’ 13th overall prospect ranking, as well as the second overall at his position.

Faulk’s best season with the Tigers was back in 2024, his sophomore season, in which he posted an impressive 45 tackles, 30 solo tackles, seven sacks and a forced fumble. He has been projected to land as high as the ninth overall pick, which falls to the Kansas City Chiefs this year, but he has also been projected to land as low as the 20th pick, to the Cowboys once again.

This year’s NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, Pa., and will be the beginning of perhaps the most notable Auburn defensive career since Derrick Brown made headlines as a first-rounder to the Panthers in 2020.