This EDGE defender may be best option for Buffalo Bills in Round 1

With the 26th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select…

Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

Faulk is considered by many as the next-best guy after the primary top three. But it’s not fully clear if he becomes the next edge drafted or when that even comes if he is next off the board. One thing that could keep him on the board up to pick 26 is his lack of production as a pass rusher. He’s fairly scheme specific, where he may do better in a diverse scheme or one that contains odd front elements where he can really thrive.

Why Keldric Faulk makes sense for Buffalo

Well… as just mentioned, he’s a schematic fit as a hand-in-dirt player for Jim Le0nhard’s scheme. This is a 275-pounder who carries it extremely well. Faulk has the versatility to play multiple techniques along the front. He’s built like every prototype from a height, weight, and length standpoint (over 34” arms). His ability to lock out against the run and punish blockers is an impressive trait and he’s shown himself to be an NFL-ready run defender from day one with downhill explosiveness and overall athleticism for a 6’5”, 275-pounder. Faulk will be 22 years old just days before the NFL season kicks off so you’d like to think there’s still more to work with. His hand pop comes up often on tape.

How Keldric Faulk could fail

There’s an easy pathway where Faulk finds failure. For all of the positives regarding his traits and overall strength, there are also some downfalls. One of those is pure production as a pass rusher. He had just 10 total sacks to his name in three years at Auburn, with just two of them in 2025. The scheme he was placed in within a true 3-4 forced Faulk to 2-gap plenty, so there’s some context necessary. But the production is the production at some point. For as big-man athletic as Faulk is, he’s not wiggly or particularly fluid in harmonizing himself as an NFL pass rusher. There’s a bit of stiffness — and nobody will confuse him with someone truly able to bend the edge and be a force. Faulk was geared for a top-10 standing heading into the season, but the lack of sacks and total impact drop may lead to a fall despite the youth and testing athleticism.

In summary…

If you believe scheme truly limited Faulk (I do), then you’ll likely be very happy with the result of picking an edge rusher in the 20s for a position group that usually flies off the board. They don’t build them like Faulk often. There’s a reason he could be gone in the teens or fall to this spot, and it really boils down to who has the confidence they can get more from Faulk’s game as he transitions to a system that allows him to 2-gap and shoot gaps more often in true one-on-one situations. Faulk will likely never consistently achieve 10 sacks per season. However, you’re hoping to get a well-rounded and versatile option with more to tap into as a rusher. He already has a high floor as a run defender purely due to his body type and what he’s already put on film at Auburn. The blueprints for a winning player are there — even if he’s never an All-Pro.