Bills Select All-SEC Edge Defender in Latest First-Round Mock Draft

The Buffalo Bills made a big free-agent signing in March, adding Pro Bowl edge rusher Bradley Chubb to help the team improve a pass rush whose 36 sacks ranked in the bottom half of the NFL.

As the 2026 NFL draft approaches, the ways the Bills and general manager Brandon Beane could take have become clearer, but it's never a bad idea to have a plethora of defenders to help Chubb, Greg Rousseau and others make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks.

Building off that theory, NFL Media analyst Charles Davis has Buffalo bolstering that position in his latest mock draft with an Auburn Tiger who was a third-team All-SEC selection in 2025.

Bills select Keldric Faulk at No. 26 in latest mock draft

Keldrick Faulk - Edge (Auburn)
Game film and pass rush reps (often from a 4i) against Kentucky - '25#NFLDraft #Auburn #SEC pic.twitter.com/4Ubk4QPEFt
— All 22 Films (@All_22_NFL_Cuts) March 26, 2026

"After acquiring WR DJ Moore from the Bears, the Bills count on Faulk to provide consistent pass-rush pressure," Davis wrote.

Faulk broke onto the scene as a sophomore, racking up 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2024. His production dipped in 2025 to five tackles for loss and two sacks, but his presence was still felt alongside fellow edge defender Keyron Crawford. Faulk's presence helped Crawford total 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

"He’s a culture player with high character who earns a grade bump based on his age (turns 21 in September), traits and advanced foundation," NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report.

Keldric Faulk is a game-wrecking freak athlete

Fairly similar to Shemar Stewart and Mykel Williams pic.twitter.com/Vms9eHzSet
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) October 15, 2025

"A fluid athlete with good movement skills, he works around blocks with finesse but needs more assertive initial strikes to set firmer edges in gap control," Zierlein wrote. "His toughness and mentality suggest he’ll play through blocks more consistently in an NFL environment."

At 6-foot-6 and 276 pounds, Faulk can line up in a variety of spots, but would likely play as a 5-technique in new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard's unit, lining up over an offensive tackle and moving inside in subpackages.

However, the defensive line shouldn't be the only avenue the Bills should explore to improve their roster in the draft, and Davis sees another possibility on offense.

Leaving the door open

Oct 18, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) celebrates after he makes a reception in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Davis also wrote he wouldn't be surprised if the Bills selected a wide receiver instead, and there are a handful of options the Bills could go after with the 26th overall pick.

Davis has Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr., one player the Bills should be cautious about, already off the board, but Texas A&M's KC Concepcion and Washington's Denzel Boston are two other receivers the Bills could target if the draft unfolds as Davis projects.

Even after Buffalo acquired DJ Moore from the Bears in its biggest addition this offseason, only Khalil Shakir surpassed 700 receiving yards last season. The Bills still need another target to help Shakir, Moore and tight end Dalton Kincaid get open more against opposing defenses.

Buffalo has done what it needed to do to set itself up for success in the NFL draft, and selecting Faulk would help solidify its defensive line depth.