Insider: Buccaneers Mock Draft Lands ‘Perfect NFL Defensive End’

According to a new mock from respected draft insider Dane Brugler, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be targeting a major defensive building block in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

In his latest projection on The Athletic, Brugler has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk with the No. 15 overall pick. 

This is a prospect Brugler believes teams will trust heavily because of his rare physical traits.

At 6-foot-6 and roughly 270-285 pounds with long arms and powerful hands, Faulk “creates movement” at the point of attack and consistently disrupts run plays. 

Brugler described Faulk as a player whose impact goes beyond the box score. 

He noted that while his raw pass-rush numbers in 2025 weren’t eye-popping, his role in Auburn’s three-man front limited his opportunities to consistently attack 

ESPN’s draft expert Mel Kiper also added high praise to the Auburn DE: 

“If you could draw up the perfect NFL 4-3 defensive end, it would be Faulk.”

Why Keldric Faulk Is One of the Draft’s Most Intriguing Edge Prospects

Faulk arrived at Auburn as a highly regarded four-star recruit in the 2023 class and quickly carved out a role in the rotation. 

He earned SEC All-Freshman honors after posting 35 tackles, four tackles for loss, and a sack as a freshman.  

His true breakout came in 2024, when he tallied 45 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. 

These numbers firmly put him on the NFL radar.

From a traits standpoint, Faulk checks nearly every box teams look for in an early-round edge defender. 

He has an “NFL-ready frame” elite functional strength, and the versatility to line up across the defensive front. 

Against the run, he’s already a difference-maker, consistently setting the edge, shedding blocks, and finishing tackles with a high motor.

The areas for improvement are largely technical rather than physical. 

According to scouts, Faulk’s pass-rush bend and first-step explosiveness aren’t elite, and his hand usage can be inconsistent when tackles land first contact.

Given he is only 20, scouts view those weaknesses as things he can improve on. 

His size, power and athletic profile make him one of the highest upside defensive players in the draft. 

Faulk Fits the Buccaneers’ Biggest Draft Needs

From a Tampa Bay Buccaneers perspective, the fit makes a ton of sense. 

Tampa Bay’s top draft priorities continue to center on upgrading the defense, especially with an edge rusher.  

The Bucs need more consistent pressure off the edge to complement their interior defenders and avoid overreliance on blitz packages.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the 2nd-highest blitz rate (38.9%) per Next Gen Stats. 

Because they didn’t trust their edge rusher to create consistent pressure, they were forced to blitz more often. 

This allowed a secondary to get pieced apart especially in the second half of the season. 

The defense gave up 265 pass yards or more in five of their last eight games. 

This includes a 375-yard performance by Kirk Cousins in a game that cost the Bucs a playoff berth. 

The Bucs also ranked around 18th in the NFL for sack percentage in the 2025 season. 

This is nowhere they wanted to be with a coach who prides himself on getting after the QB. 

After a defense that did not live up to their lofty expectations, targeting a guy like Faulk would provide an instant pass rushing spark with major upside. 

Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on Heavy Sports

The post Insider: Buccaneers Mock Draft Lands ‘Perfect NFL Defensive End’ appeared first on Heavy Sports.