Auburn Tigers EDGE rusher J.J. Faulk responded to his brother, Keldric, being drafted with the No. 31 pick in the 2026 NFL draft to the Tennessee Titans with support and a side of friendly, competitive banter.
Per J.J., after Keldric's finding out his NFL future on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, "To see him follow his dreams just let me know I can do it too, and I'm pretty sure I can do it a lot better. I'm real proud of him, though."
Thus far, J.J. has had limited exposure on the Plains. He played one game during his true freshman year, amassing four solo tackles against the Mercer Bears during a 62-17 win that'll forever be known as "the Deuce Knight game."
Having always been fueled by competition with his brother, who was also his teammate on the Highland Home Flying Squadron in the AHSAA Region 3 division. Perhaps seeing his brother walk across that stage will be what J.J. needs to reach those heights.
Keldric Faulk was the first Auburn Tiger drafted in the first round since 2020
Not since Derrick Brown was taken with the No. 7 pick by the Carolina Panthers, and Noah Igbinoghene was taken No. 30 overall by the Miami Dolphins, has an Auburn player been drafted in the first round. Keldric Faulk was a much-needed selection for the program's sake.
If that's not the most ringing indictment of Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze's tenures on the Plains, it's not clear what could ever possibly drive home the message that the Tigers have been in purgatory for over half a decade.
Here's to Keldric being the first of many draft picks in the latter half of the 2020s and beyond, and J.J. potentially joining him in the NFL one day.
Auburn is back. In the NFL draft's first round, at least.
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