PFF is a Big Fan of Auburn Tigers Edge Keldric Faulk

At 6'6 and 270 pounds, Auburn Tigers defensive end Keldric Faulk is one of the most physically gifted players in the country.

Auburn Tigers Junior defensive end Keldric Faulk is one of the top players in the country. / Photo by Austin Perryman, Auburn Tigers

Now that he's two productive seasons into his college career, Auburn Tigers edge rusher Keldric Faulk has made progress which has been hard to ignore. The 6-foot-6 and 270 pounder was good as a freshman, and he was a terror as a sophomore. After his junior season, he likely won’t have to wait long to hear his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft.

PFF has graded the talented defender increasingly better on a year-to-year basis, and they also believe there's a lot more to come in his junior year.

During PFF's rundown of the Top-10 returning edge rushers, Faulk unsurprisingly found himself in the No. 5 slot for good reason.

"Faulk has been one of Auburn’s starting edge defenders in each of his first two seasons and took a major step forward as a sophomore. His 83.8 PFF grade was more than 16 points better than what he posted as a freshman and is the fifth-best mark of any returning Power Four edge rusher," wrote Max Chadwick on PFF.

"The former four-star recruit is at his best in the run game, tying for eighth among Power Four edges with 23 run-defense stops last year. Faulk is still developing moves as a pass rusher, but he did show improvement there with nine sacks and 45 pressures last year. Both those figures stood in the top 20 of the Power Four."

Faulk is a more of a conventional defensive end than a stand-up edge rusher. He kicks inside to defensive tackle on some passing situation. He's a different player than most of the other edges that make PFF's list. He's considerably bigger than most of them.

Quite clearly, the prospect of Faulk improving upon the seven sacks he registered last season should help get the Auburn defense moving along a positive upward trajectory in 2025.

Furthermore, notable new recruits along the defensive line such as Malik Autry and Jared Smith could both help free up Faulk to do even more damage.

Fact is, that might take time to come to fruition, but he will provide plenty of core leadership for the talented duo to that will pay dividends after he makes his way to the next level.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has always generously praised Faulk's natural leadership skills and rock solid work ethic. A host of NFL Scouts are bound to be tuning in year three also.

Critical to that greater mission, will be the manner in which Faulk leads out his defensive unit for their Week 1 curtain raiser against Baylor.

When you factor in the number of new recruits entering the fray for the Tigers, Faulk will doubtless be the glue for a unit which needs to give new quarterback Jackson Arnold plenty of opportunities to find his feet.

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