Seattle Seahawks linked to 'intriguing' Auburn pass rusher for 2026 NFL Draft

There aren’t too many areas of concern that restrict the Seattle Seahawks from contending for an NFC West Divisional title. There are some positions the team could get better at to become a serious threat for a Super Bowl title. One of them is at the pass-rushing unit.

The Seahawks can find their next pass-rushing star through the 2026 NFL Draft. Bleacher Report released its latest batch of the team's biggest draft needs and players they could look to draft. A new edge rusher is among the positions listed for the Seahawks to address potentially.

The top prospect for the Seahawks at the edge is Keldric Faulk, who Bleacher Report lists as a player with intriguing traits. Two main attributes that Bleacher Report lists are Faulk’s physical stats at 6-6” and 285 pounds, and his age (20).

Faulk is a player who isn’t as pro-ready as some of the top edge rusher prospects in the 2026 Draft. Given his age and similar playing style to Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, Faulk would be a great fit to watch and learn from him. Faulk is a player who is more comfortable coming off a three-point stance as a traditional defensive lineman than as a standup edge rusher.

Faulk came in as a four-star recruit for the Tigers in the 2023 National Recruiting Class and played immediately for the Tigers. In his freshman year, Faulk accounted for 35 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass breakup.

He had a breakout year as one of the top defenders in the SEC last season, accounting for 45 total tackles, 29 solo tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 12 games played.

Through the first five games played for the Tigers, Faulk has accounted for 12 total tackles, including nine, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and three pass breakups.

Many solid traits make Faulk a great project to develop into a pass-rushing star. One is his arm length, which goes with his size and frame. They are a key reason why he can separate himself from offensive linemen at the line of scrimmage and can create pass breakups. Another great set of attributes he possesses is his motor and athleticism to generate some power and speed in his pass rush.

ESPN's top NFL Draft analysts have Faulk as the consensus second-rated edge rusher only behind Miami's Rueben Bain Jr, who is a serious candidate to be selected as the first overall pick in the draft. Faulk is considered a potential top 15 draft pick at this moment.

Seattle could likely go for an edge rusher with their first-round pick, considering the team could make some moves this offseason. Boye Mafe is set to be a free agent after this season and isn’t close to a contract extension. Uchenna Nwosu is projected to be a free agent after the 2026 season, but has an $8.5 million buyout next offseason.

The Seahawks could reload at edge rusher if they were to lose Maye and Nwosu this offseason.

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