The 2026 NFL Draft has taken some hits in the early going, watching its quarterbacks fall short and a lack of blue-chip weapons emerge. Yet, the class remains strong in the trenches, where a surplus of early-round offensive tackles and edge rushers has jostled for positioning and added intrigue to high-value positions.
Among the contenders for the best edge rusher in the class is Auburn junior Keldric Faulk. My preseason top edge rusher, his well-rounded profile stands out as the position's safest bet to be taken in the top 10.
Through three weeks, though, he has just one sack to his name. With SEC competition looming -- starting with the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 4 -- Faulk must be productive to maintain his stock. He has all the talent to do so.
Faulk's strengths create a complete profile
There are a handful of traits that help insulate early-round edge rushers and elevate their floor. Faulk has several of them.
At 6'5", 270 pounds, Faulk is big enough to stay on the field and play the run on early downs, offering him a path to value even if he stalls out as a pass rusher. That isn't an indictment of his ability to get after the quarterback. Faulk is a strong athlete (another green flag) whose technique is good enough not to rely on those physical tools.
Faulk has exceptional strength for the position, allowing him to dictate terms in one-on-one matchups in the run game. He sheds blocks well, can win with speed to power, and is explosive and bendy enough to flash around the corner.
Here, Keldric Faulk basically tells the RT:
"No, you're not down blocking me. I'm down blocking YOU."
And then he makes the play on the RB. Insane burst and power, but also perfect hand engagement and base load. pic.twitter.com/QxLjHrZUzP
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 3, 2025
Perhaps even more enticing are the moments of nuance that show up late in plays. When rushing inside, he limits his surface area well to get skinny and avoid dominant strikes. Faulk makes the most of lost reps and can turn them into wins by countering well and transitioning into bend from abnormal positions.
With a blend of near-elite athletic traits, proficiency against the run, and a knack for getting to the quarterback, Faulk is approaching blue-chip territory.
Where must Faulk improve?
There isn't a glaring hole in Faulk's profile. As such, the lesser points in his game are more detractions from his right-tailed outcomes and the type of ceiling that gets drafted in the top five.
Each of Faulk's athletic traits is strong, although none stand out as the absolute best in the class. He's expected to run in the 4.70 range in the 40-yard dash -- strong for his size but not in line with the new-age freaks we've seen in recent years. At 270 pounds, he moves well for his size, but weighing in smaller than that could raise some concerns later in the cycle.
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Faulk has flashed high-level bend but can struggle to access it at times. Elsewhere, his most ambitious pass-rush moves (think Myles Garrett crossovers) don't look quite as natural.
These are ultimately nitpicks, which is telling in itself. This is a platform year for Faulk, providing him the opportunity to put another great year on film, chipping away at his minor flaws and taking advantage of his natural gifts.
Faulk's NFL projection
If it isn't clear already, Faulk is one of the easier first-round grades I will file in this cycle. He projects as a Day 1 starter capable of emerging as a Pro Bowler.
There might be edge rushers in this class with more upside or better athletic traits. Few offer a path to pass-rushing prowess while checking athletic, technical, and physical boxes to stick on early downs and play the run. He's polished, productive, and versatile enough to moonlight inside, although his role resides as a true edge rusher.
The biggest threats to Faulk's stock are a potential injury and a down season. With only one sack to his name entering SEC competition, the coming weeks could prove critical to solidifying his top-10 stock.
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