After making the surprising decision to select Ohio State’s Carnell Tate at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft, Tennessee traded back into the end of the first round to select Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk. The Titans secured Faulk’s signature today, completing the process of signing their eight-man rookie draft class.
Arriving at Auburn as a highly rated, in-state recruit, Faulk found an immediate role on the Tigers defense. By Week 7 of his true freshman season, Faulk was in the starting lineup, and he didn’t relinquish his first-team role the remainder of his time at Auburn. As one of the draft’s youngest players (turning 22 just before the start of his rookie year), Faulk has room to grow and develop in Tennessee. He flashed some serious play-making ability in college, but struggled to finish with impact plays.
A seven-sack, 11-tackle for loss campaign in his sophomore year had expectations high for Faulk’s 2025 season. Outside of that impressive production in 2024, though, Faulk only totaled three sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in his first and third years combined. He carries an imposing frame, looking all of 6-foot-5, 275 pounds and has an effective arsenal of pass rush moves, but his technique and planning could certainly improve. Mentally, Faulk has good field vision and play recognition, and his leadership at Auburn shined despite his youth.
In Nashville, Faulk is joining a new-look edge rushing group that currently looks like it will be led by a pair of former Jets in Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers. The Titans’ pass rush in 2025 was buoyed by star interior lineman Jeffery Simmons, as no other defender eclipsed five sacks. Johnson, Franklin-Myers, and Faulk don’t have reputations as double-digit sack getters, but the trio is an improvement on last year’s group for Tennessee, and with Simmons drawing the attention of the offense, all three could see improvements in production in 2026.
With Faulk now locked into his four-year rookie deal (with a fifth-year option), here’s a final look at the Titans completed draft class:
- Round 1, No. 4: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 31 (from Patriots via Bills): Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 60 (from Bills via Titans): Anthony Hill Jr. (LB, Texas) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 142 (from Jets via Ravens): Fernando Carmona (G, Arkansas) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 165 (from Bears via Bills): Nicholas Singleton (RB, Penn State) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 184: Jackie Marshall (DT, Baylor) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 194 (from Ravens via Jets): Pat Coogan, C (Indiana) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 225 (from Chiefs via Cowboys): Jaren Kanak (TE, Oklahoma) (signed)