The Auburn Tigers hope to snap their four consecutive losing seasons and build on last year’s strong defensive performance. They finished in the top 50 in points allowed, total yards, and rushing defense, ranking 27th in points, 31st in yards, and 27th in rushing in 2024. One area of defense the Tigers aim to improve at is their pass rush, which placed 50th in sacks.
A standout junior will be crucial to their success.
Auburn Tigers’ stout EDGE rusher had a great sophomore campaign
After a decent but shaky true freshman season, Keldric Faulk had a great sophomore campaign, posting more tackles, tackles for loss, run stops, pressures, sacks, and forced fumbles. He recorded 45 tackles, 11 TFLs, 23 run stops, 45 pressures, seven sacks, one forced fumble, and an 83.8 PFF grade in 12 games. Faulk looks to pick up where he left off and is projected as a 1st-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Auburn Tigers’ emergent talent among top players in The Athletic’s SEC rankings
In an Athletic article, Manny Navarro goes through the top 25 SEC players heading into the 2025 season. He names Keldric Faulk as the second-best EDGE rusher/defensive lineman behind Colin Simmons and the sixth-best player overall. Navarro points to Faulk exploding onto the scene as a sophomore and being the only returning full-time starter on the Auburn Tigers’ front seven.
“The 6-6, 270-pound junior has 20 starts in two seasons at Auburn and is garnering first-round NFL Draft buzz heading into the season. He tallied 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season and is the only returning full-time starter on the Tigers’ front seven,” Navarro said.
