Continuing our series that began this month and will run until the 2026 NFL Draft begins April 23, The Detroit News will spotlight one prospect a day who could be a first-round fit for the Detroit Lions, who own the 17th overall pick. Assuming the Lions don’t trade out, it’ll be their highest selection since running back Jahmyr Gibbs went No. 12 in 2023.
Today’s focus will be on Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk.
▶ 29 tackles (five for loss), two sacks, 30 pressures, four pass deflections
Faulk first committed to Florida State in July 2022 but flipped to Auburn five months later, opting to stick close to his hometown of Highland Home, Alabama. Faulk was a top-100 recruit rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 10 defensive lineman in the Class of 2023, behind a couple other draft-eligible players in 2026 like Clemson’s Peter Woods and T.J. Parker.
As a true freshman, Faulk played 441 snaps on defense, forced into a larger-than-expected role after Auburn’s veteran starter at defensive end (Mosiah Nasili-Kite) was lost for the season due to injury. Faulk, a lengthy defender with plus athleticism, held his own, totaling 24 defensive stops. He became a full-time starter in 2024 and took the leap many expected from him, finishing his sophomore campaign with 45 tackles (11 for loss), 33 defensive stops, seven sacks and 45 pressures.
That positive progression wouldn’t extend to 2025, though, at least not as a pass rusher. Faulk excelled defending the run as a junior but struggled to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, recording 30 pressures and two sacks over 12 appearances. His win rate as a pass rusher (11.6%) ranked 46th out of 126 defensive linemen (both interior and on the edge) who rushed the passer on at least 295 snaps.
The fear with Faulk is obvious: What if he doesn’t develop as a pass rusher? Six other defensive ends are getting first-round buzz — Rueben Bain Jr. (23.5%), David Bailey (21.6%), Akheem Mesidor (20.8%), Cashius Howell (19.9%), Zion Young (17.4%) and Parker (15.4%) — and each of them had a pass-rush win rate inside the top 25 among qualified FBS players last season, compared to Faulk (11.6%) at 46th.
Looking through an optimistic lens, Faulk has youth and athleticism on his side. Still only 20 years old (he won’t be 21 until September), he already possesses an imposing frame (6-foot-6, 276 pounds, 34⅜-inch arms) and has three seasons of experience in the SEC. There were 88 prospects at the combine who weighed in at or above 270 pounds. Faulk’s broad jump (9 feet, 9 inches) and vertical leap (35 inches) were second and tied for third among that group, respectively, and his 40-yard dash at Auburn’s Pro Day (4.67 seconds) would’ve been first (his 40-yard dash also would’ve been tied for 10th among all defensive ends, regardless of size).
The run defense was seriously impressive from Faulk, who earned Third-Team All-SEC honors from the conference’s coaches despite a step back in his numbers as a pass rusher. Faulk lined up everywhere on Auburn’s defensive line (from outside the offensive tackle to on the interior as a nose tackle) and finished the 2025 season with a run defense grade from Pro Football Focus (85.5) that was tied for 12th among the 388 linemen who defended the run on at least 200 snaps.
Another positive for Faulk is his character. For some prospects, that’s a buzzword. But for Faulk, there’s real-world examples. He became the youngest player to ever represent Auburn at SEC Media Days ahead of his sophomore season (those events are typically reserved for upperclassmen who’ve gained the coaching staff’s trust to represent the program on a big-time stage), and he used a portion of his NIL compensation from last season to help a walk-on teammate pay for his tuition.
Some teams could want Faulk to bulk up and play as a three-technique at the next level, but the Lions are already set on the interior, with Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams as their starters. In Faulk, the Lions would get a player who not only appears to fit the culture, both on and off the field, but one who would seemingly advance it. Faulk can help immediately on early downs but would need to progress as a rusher under defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers before seeing the field consistently in obvious passing situations.
D.J. Wonnum, signed from the Carolina Panthers in free agency, is poised to receive much of the early-down opportunities across from Aidan Hutchinson next season, but his presence shouldn’t preclude the Lions from taking Faulk, if they believe he’s the best player on their board. The upside with Faulk is clear, but there’s certainly risk using a first-round pick on him, assuming he’s asked to play defensive end.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Keldric Faulk could give Detroit Lions complement to Aidan Hutchinson…Read more by The Detroit News, Richard Silva