We continue our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at Auburn edge defender Keldric Faulk.
Keldric Faulk
DE
Auburn
Junior
4-star recruit
6’6”
285 lbs
History
As a true freshman, Faulk played in all 13 games and grew from rotational rusher into a midseason starter. He finished with 35 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss, and he registered his first career sack in the Music City Bowl. That season ended with SEC All-Freshman honors.
In 2024, he had the breakout
that put him on early-round radars. He registered 45 tackles, 11 TFL and seven sacks in 12 games. The standout performances came against Cal with back-to-back sacks and a team-high eight tackles. Another monster day was at Georgia where he made seven tackles and another two sacks, and won SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week against Kentucky with another two-sack game.
In 2025, his role shifted and the box score cooled, but the why here matters when reading his stats. He started all 12 games again, served as the team captain, and posted 29 tackles, five TFL, two sacks, four pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Faulk was moved around more this season, including interior looks, yet he still flashed impact while remaining a core run-defense piece and leader.
2025 Statistics
556 Defensive Snaps
30 Total Pressures
1 QB Hits
29 Total Tackles
5 TFL
2 Sacks
4 PBU
1 FR
4 Penalties
Snap by Postion
A-Gap- 2%
B-Gap- 8%
C-Gap- 28%
OLB- 60%
Awards
2025: Third-Team All-SEC
2023: SEC All-Freshman Team
Scorecard
Overall– 88.8
Speed- 77
Acceleration- 87
Agility- 71
Strength- 93
Tackling- 74
Run Defense- 96
Pass Rush- 70
Coverage- 70
Discipline- 92
THE GOOD
- Prototypical length and frame for an NFL edge
- High-end run defense
- Elite at setting a firm edge, locks out with extension, squeezes gaps, and holds up against down blocks
- Power profile as a rusher
- Wins with long-arm, bull-to-shed, and elite speed-to-power to collapse the pocket
- Violent hands and grip strength to control reps
- Versatility across fronts
- High end motor and competitiveness
- Continues to plays through contact, keeps working on extended reps
- Leadership and character indicators
THE BAD
- Bend is only average for a true edge defender
- He’s more of a pocket-collapser than a win-the-corner speed rusher
- Pass-rush sequencing and counters need refinement
- First-step explosiveness isn’t elite
- Sack conversion can be inconsistent
- He creates pressure and disruption but doesn’t always close cleanly when the quarterback climbs
- Due to his height he’ll pop up and lose leverage, especially against low, powerful tackles or when trying to shed in tight space.
- He is scheme-dependent. Teams that need a wide-9 speed merchant may see him as a less natural fit.
- 2025 production dip will be a discussion point
THE FIT
Faulk fits best as a base 4-3 defensive end who can slide inside on passing downs, in a scheme that values edge-setting first and then lets him hunt with power as a rusher. He’s at his best when you let him play square and long on early downs, locking out with his reach, controlling the tackle and squeezing run lanes.
SUMMARY
Keldric Faulk is a long, powerful, high-motor front-seven defender who projects best as a 4-3 base end or 5-tech where his length and play strength can set firm edges and squeeze run lanes while he develops into a more consistent pocket-collapsing rusher. His tape is defined by a strong point of attack. He locks out, controls blocks, and plays with good leverage for his height, plus flashes of disruptive power as a pass rusher that showed up most clearly in his 2024 breakout season. The main improvement points are rush craft and consistency. He’s more power-and-effort than bend-and-speed, so he needs better sequencing and counters when tackles neutralize his first instinct, and he’ll be evaluated on whether his 2025 statistical dip was role-driven or a limitation in creation.
Overall he profiles as a high-floor run defender with ascending pass-rush upside, an early NFL starter-type in the right front with the ceiling to become a quality number two edge who generates steady pressures if his plan and finishing keep trending upward.
PRO COMPARISON
Carlos Dunlap
BTB OVERALL RANKING
15th
CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING
15th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)
