Auburn Tigers football: Keldric Faulk 2025 player profile
Auburn football's NFL draft first-round drought extended to five years in 2025. However, Auburn EDGE rusher Keldric Faulk could change Auburn's luck in next year's draft.
USA TODAY Sports feels that Faulk could go as early as No. 6 overall in the 2026 NFL draft, where he would head to the Carolina Panthers. Other outlets, including CBS Sports, also view Faulk as a first-rounder for next year's draft.
It is easy to see why Faulk is regarded as a first-round pick. He has participated in every game of his two-year Auburn career, making starts in the last 20 games at defensive end. Faulk is as solid a pass rusher as he is a run-stopper. Over his career, Faulk has created 65 quarterback pressures with 46 hurries and eight sacks. He has also finished second behind Jalen McLeod in stopping the run with a 83.4 run-defense grade according to Pro Football Focus. Following McLeod's departure, Faulk is poised to be the Tigers' top pass rusher on this season's unit.
Here's a look at Keldric Faulk's 2025 player profile.
Keldric Faulk's personal profile
Keldric Faulk as a recruit
Keldric Faulk's career numbers
Keldric Faulk's PFF report card
The best photos of Keldric Faulk's career
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Ex-NFL CB says the quiet part out loud about Steelers' Jalen Ramsey trade
While the recent departure of Minkah Fitzpatrick has ruffled more than a few feathers in Pittsburgh — ex-NFL CB Asante Samuel Sr. believes it was worth acquiring Jalen Ramsey. On Monday's episode of the Say What Needs To Be Said podcast, Samuel revealed his high hopes for the Ramsey-led Steelers defense this season — and criticized the Dolphins' trade mindset: "If the Steelers' defense was ranked 12th in total defense, with almost no production from Minkah Fitzpatrick last season, I know, and I guarantee, Jalen Ramsey will make this defense a better defense,' Asante said. "And the Dolphins had no reason to trade Jalen Ramsey, other than that they were sensitive. There's no leadership in the Dolphins organization. Mike McDaniels is a pushover. Chris Greer, the general manager, has no backbone. These guys over here, the Miami Dolphins, they are running this team like a little league team. … "To me, it doesn't make sense. Because [the Dolphins] traded for another safety, when Jalen Ramsey could easily be moved to safety and be way more productive than the person you just traded for.' Aside from the harsh criticism and complete dismantling of the Dolphins organization, Samuel hit the nail right on the head — the Steelers defense has gotten very few splash plays in return from Fitzpatrick over the past two seasons, while Ramsey is a proven ball hawk, solid tackler, and offers versatility across the secondary. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
USA Today
35 minutes ago
- USA Today
Special. Seismic. Singular: Meet the 4 most explosive defensive NFL players
Who are the most explosive defensive players in the NFL? In the spirit of the Fourth of July holiday, USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon provides his take for the four most explosive defensive players in the NFL this season. Defense still wins championships. Just ask the Philadelphia Eagles who had the NFL's top defensive unit en route to a Super Bowl 59 championship. The Eagles have a well-rounded defense led by All-Pros Jalen Carter and Zack Baun. Do Carter and Baun make the cut? What about the highest-paid defensive player in the league, Myles Garrett, or reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Patrick Surtain? Here are the four most explosive defensive players in the NFL: Browns defensive end Myles Garrett The Browns made Garrett the highest-paid defensive player in NFL (for now). For a Browns team that lacks star power and impact players, he's worth every penny. Garrett's amassed double-digit sacks for seven consecutive seasons. He's the only player in NFL history to produce at least 14 sacks for four straight seasons. And the defensive end hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. Pro Football Focus gave Garrett the highest pass rushing grade (92.8) for any edge rusher with at least 300 snaps in 2024. Garrett's 102.5 career sacks are the second-most in the NFL since 2017. Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons Parsons is yearning for a new extension. His next contract is expected to make him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. The Cowboys linebacker is the fifth player in NFL history to record double-digit sacks in each of his first four seasons. What will he do in Year 5? It's safe to assume at least 12 sacks and 70 pressures, because that's been his floor ever since the Cowboys selected him in the first round of the 2021 draft. Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain Surtain became just the second player in Broncos history to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024. He was the first cornerback to win the award since Stephon Gilmore in 2019. The Broncos cornerback won't provide many fireworks because opposing quarterbacks tend to shy away from him. Among cornerbacks with at least 400 coverage snaps, Surtain ranked first in fewest yards allowed (306) this past season. Plus, he tied a career-high with four interceptions. Steelers outside linebacker T. J. Watt Watt is another play on this list in line for a big pay day. The Steelers star defender has an uncanny ability to make game-changing plays. Watt is the Steelers' all-time sack leader with 108 sacks. His 33 forced fumbles are tied for second in franchise history. He's the second-fastest player to reach the 100-sack plateau. Watt, who is entering the final year of his contract, skipped the Steelers' minicamp as he awaits a new deal. He's one of the most explosive defensive players in the NFL and deserves a contract in the same neighborhood as Garrett's lucrative deal. On July 5: The NFL's most explosive offensive players. Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
USA Today
38 minutes ago
- USA Today
NFL Icon Jerome Bettis weighs in on the importance of franchise running backs
This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis. Bettis is participating in this year's American Century Championship, which will take place July 9-13 at Edgewood Tahoe. Bettis shared his thoughts on the importance of teams committing to a franchise running back, as many, including Kansas City Chiefs starter Isiah Pacheco, await word on a potential contract extension."Well, teams must understand that when you find a franchise running back, you sign them. Make no mistake, because he changes the complexion of what your team looks like and how your team will perform. I think people often look at where the NFL is today; it's more of a passing league, and because of that, people have taken the running back position a little bit for granted," said Bettis, "And say, you know what? We can get just a guy to go out and give us 12 to 15 carries, and then we get another guy to give us another 10 or 8 carries. We can do it by just getting a couple of good players, and they don't have to pay the price of a top-tier running back, and they can put that money in other places. They are starting to realize that if I don't have a franchise running back, my team looks different than some of these teams competing for a championship because they have that go-to running back now."Bettis praised Philadelphia's decision to sign Saquon Barkley and his success as an example of a franchise running back. During an appearance on The Pivot Podcast, he mentioned several others, including Pacheco from the Chiefs, who hasn't been offered an extension yet."I will say this: it's not easy to find the franchise running backs because the colleges aren't running the ball the way they used to. So you don't see as many coming out of the NFL. Every year, you see one, maybe two. I think they had two solid running backs in this draft, so you felt good about drafting in the first round," Bettis told Easton Jr., "So you're not finding as many as you used to. But when you find one, you better keep them and pay them. You saw Green Bay (Packers). They went out and got a guy who was a bell cow, and he (Josh Jacobs) changed what that team looked like. Then you look at Baltimore (Ravens). They go out, and they go and get a guy (Derrick Henry). They're getting a stud, which makes them look different, so when you find them and bring them in, it changes your team, and you see the difference. So it's not a mistake that these teams have had the years that they have with the running backs that they have."The annual tournament awards $750,000 in prize money, much of which the celebrity players donate to local and national charities. Over the years, nearly $8 million has been donated to non-profit causes. Network television exposure on NBC and a first-place prize of $150,000 make the celebrity tournament one of the most prestigious in the golf world. Check out the website for more information about the American Century Championship.
