Auburn edge defender Keldric Faulk is one of the most intriguing players in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He possesses an elite athletic profile with a throwback physique, and is also exceptionally young. Faulk is only 20 years old and won’t turn 21 until September. However, his production didn’t match his athletic upside and he only had 29 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, and 2 sacks.
That said, his traits, run defense, and sheer upside has garnered a lot of attention for the young man. Faulk is almost certain
to be drafted in the first round, though he’s unlikely to be a Top 10 pick.
The common belief New York Giants don’t need another edge defender, and certainly not another first round pick. However, Kayvon Thibodeaux is in the last year of his rookie contract and Faulk would bring a fresh skillset to the Giants’ defensive front. Does that put Faulk on the Giants’ radar if they trade back or trade a player?
Prospect: Keldric Faulk (15)
Games Watched: vs. Oklahoma (2025), vs. Texas A&M (2025), vs. Arkansas (2025)
Measurables
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Strengths
Best traits
- Age
- Size
- Length
- Play strength
- Overall athleticism
- Competitive toughness
- Run defense
Auburn’s Keldric Faulk is a big, long, powerful, competitive, versatile, and young edge defender prospect.
Faulk has uncommon size for a modern edge defender at just under 6-foot-6, 276 pounds, with 34 ⅜ inch arms. He’s also a solid athlete for his size, with good long speed and surprising agility to exchange gaps or make quick moves to make plays off of blockers.
His size and athleticism allowed Auburn to use him in a variety of alignments. Faulk lined up everywhere from a Wide 9 or 7-technique all the way to a 0-technique nose tackle in obvious passing situations. He’s able to rush from a 2, 3, and 4-point stance and appears comfortable from each alignment. Faulk was also used on stunts and twists, taking advantage of his strength to hold blockers and quickness to exchange gaps.
Faulk flashes a good understanding of how to use his length, typically delivering a strong jolt off the snap and seeking inside leverage to control blockers. He is primarily a power rusher, using a potent bull rush to drive blockers into the backfield, but also flashes an understanding of how to rush with a plan. Faulk flashes quick hands to pair finesse with his power, using quick swipe, arm-over, or rip moves to attack the hands of blockers who are expecting a power rush. He’s also developing a feel for when to get his hands up when his rush won’t get to the quarterback and had four passes defensed in 2025.
His size, length, power, and quickness make Faulk a capable run defender. He’s able to stand up to offensive tackles and set a firm edge, as well as use his length to make plays on ball carriers that attempt to press a gap for which he’s responsible. Faulk also plays with good competitive toughness, offering multiple efforts to fight through blockers. Likewise, he’s willing as well as a willingness to take on multiple blockers on a given play, either at once or in sequence.
Finally, Faulk is a very young prospect at just 20 years old, and he won’t turn 21 until September 9th. His age alone suggests significant upside as he still has several years of physical and mental maturation ahead of him.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Leverage
- Explosiveness
- Block deconstruction
- Pass rush
The big question in Faulk’s profile, “Why isn’t he more productive given all his physical tools?” seems to come down to two main issues.
The first big issue with Faulk is that he’s still raw as a defender. He flashes an understanding of how to use his tools, but he doesn’t do so consistently. He struggles to consistently use his hands to keep himself clean and prevent linemen from locking in their blocks. Likewise he struggles to consistently use his technique to deconstruct and disengage cleanly. Both of those can make blockers “sticky” for Faulk and slow his play considerably after the first couple steps.
He also has an issue keeping his pads down, and keeping the momentum in his rushes will help stop his pads from rising prematurely.
Faulk’s leverage issues are a constant frustration in his game, and they may also have a structural component that he can’t do anything about. Faulk is a tall rusher, which raises his natural center of gravity, and he also appears to have some stiffness in his lower body. He struggles to get low and doesn’t appear to have the fluidity to stay low while attacking the edge or exchanging gaps. Instead, he has a tendency to pop up at the point of attack and allow blockers under his pads. Not only does that compromise the play strength that’s the foundation of his game, but he can also be prone to losing his balance.
Faulk also lacks a good first step compared to many edge defenders we’ve seen over the last several years. He has solid long speed (particularly for his size), but his speed is more of the “build up” variety, and his explosiveness is only mediocre.
Game Tape
(Faulk is the Auburn edge defender wearing number 15 with a white band on his left arm.)
Projection
Auburn’s Keldric Faulk projects as a developmental EDGE or defensive lineman at the NFL level.
Faulk has the potential to fit into a wide variety of schemes and roles at the NFL level, however his best fit may be as a “hand in the dirt” defensive lineman. That would likely be as a 7 or 9-technique defensive end or as a 4i or 5-technique defensive tackle, depending on the exact scheme into which he’s drafted.
Faulk will almost certainly be drafted in the first round and will therefore have a heavy snap load. However, his age almost demands that he carry the “developmental” tag, and the team that drafts him will need to have a plan for his development. Versatility is typically considered a strength, but having a defined role and vision for his development might be best for Faulk’s long-term success. He has the potential to grow into a Pro Bowl caliber player, but he’ll need to be in the right situation to get there.
Does he fit the Giants? Possibly, value permitting
Final Word: A first round pick
