The Auburn Tigers got their first player off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, as edge rusher Keldric Faulk was taken by the Tennessee Titans with the 31st overall pick.
The 6-foot-6, 285-pound pass rusher became the 33rd Auburn player ever selected in the first round, and the program’s first since 2020, when Derrick Brown and Noah Igbinoghene went 7th and 30th respectively.
During his three years at Auburn, Faulk recorded 74 solo tackles, 10 sacks, six passes defensed, and a forced fumble. In his final college season, he tallied 23 solo tackles, two sacks, and four passes defensed.
Faulk generated late-first to early-second round projections throughout the pre-draft process and was among the prospects invited to attend the draft in Pittsburgh. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had him slotted at No. 26 in his final mock draft, with analysts widely praising his ability to impact the game both against the run and as a pass rusher.
Faulk marked Tennessee’s second pick of the first round, following their selection of Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4. Addressing edge rusher was a priority for the Titans despite already adding Jermaine Johnson via trade and signing John Franklin-Myers in free agency this offseason.
Leave a Reply