Auburn Defender Keldric Faulk Springs Into the Pocket

Auburn defender Keldric Faulk looks coiled and ready when he’s lined up before the ball is snapped.

Look at those eyes.

This is what the man sees who’s lining up across from him.

Determination.

Focus.

Sometimes he’s coming off the left side of the line of scrimmage. Sometimes it’s the right side.

He can switch it up as well and line up inside at defensive tackle or over the center at nose tackle.

There was even a handful of plays he was lined up at middle linebacker.

It’s difficult to define his “position,” but it doesn’t matter.

Faulk can strike from anywhere.

Just ask opposing quarterbacks. Last season, he logged nine sacks and 45 pressures.

So what traits make him so good as a pass rusher?

• Brute Power
• Quick and heavy hands
• Burst of speed
• Opportunistic
• Second efforts

Faulk is a lot for offensive linemen to handle. Before they know it, they find themselves engaged in hand-to-hand combat as Faulk searches for even the slightest crease of space to force himself into. Once through, he has the speed and acceleration to get to the quarterback, and he can make quick and fluid changes of direction if he tries to get out of the way.

Offenses sometimes respond with double-team blocking attempts (I charted 38 times).

Didn’t matter.

Faulk showed a propensity to split double teams.

He thrives on pressing the inner gaps of the offensive line with his awesome natural strength.

That’s where he does his best work.

There were also several times when he was able to generate pressure by not giving up when initially blocked. He kept at it and sometimes got freed up and chased down the quarterback on a few plays that took longer to develop.

Complete defender

Faulk doesn’t just rush the passer either.

He takes the run game seriously as well.

• 45 tackles
• 29 solo
• 16 assists
• 11 tackles for loss

Having 29 solo tackles and 11 tackles for loss speaks volumes.

Versatility

Faulk offers NFL teams a lot of flexibility when it comes to the type of defensive system he can fit into and on game day.

He’s not limited to being pigeonholed into the two traditional defensive fronts in the NFL (4-3 featuring four down defensive linemen and three linebackers or a 3-4 featuring three down defensive linemen and four linebackers).

He’s just as effective whether he lines up standing up or with his hand down in the dirt.

This makes him a fit in either system.

Plus, he dropped into coverage a handful of times, which lends itself to the thought of him being an outside backer in a 3-4.

When it comes to game planning, Faulk will be fun for an NFL defensive coordinator to scheme. That coordinator will be able to move him all around to test weaknesses in the opponent’s scheme and personnel.

#15 Keldric Faulk 6-foot-6, 285 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2025 Summer Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be a First-Round prospect as of August 4, 2025

2024 game film evaluated: Alabama A&M, CAL, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Missouri, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Alabama (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Violent rotational multi-position defender. Difference maker. Alpha demeanor. Lean and muscular athletic frame. Long arms. Sleek looking. His back has a slight arch in a down position. Good bend. Flexible. Twitchy. Forceful. Trives on initial contact. Good pass-rushing instincts. The most used pass rushing move was a head fake. Flexes an authoritative bull rush. Capable of overwhelming the pocket. Limited usage of spin, rip, and swim moves. Understands the art of leverage. Operates at full capacity 60% of the time. Setting it up 40% of the time. Hammers quarterbacks. Punishes ball carriers. Can fight through run blocks. Good tackling form. Chases and hunts. Decent long-range speed with a special added burst at full speed to help him get there in time.

What to watch for during the 2025 college football season

1. Consistently getting off the snap on time?

2. How often is he using pass rush moves?

3. What percentage of the time does he go all-out?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. Featured in USA Today. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.