Tag: Keldric Faulk

Jalen McLeod brings ‘freaky’ skillset with him to the Plains

A late addition from the transfer portal, Jalen McLeod will bring a “freaky” and “twitchy” style of play to the Auburn pass rush.

Auburn needed a few players to build up its pass rush depth and found just that within the transfer portal and recruiting.

Vanderbilt transfer [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] will see action this fall at the JACK position, but there is one player that is not being talked about enough, Appalachian State transfer [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag].

McLeod graded out at 86.6 last season according to Pro Football Focus, and had an incredible output of 90.7 in pass rushing. He created 37 total quarterback pressures last season at Appalachian State, which breaks down to six sacks, eight QB hits, and 23 hurries. Included in those sacks were two sacks of Texas A&M quarterback Haynes King in the Mountaineers’ 17-14 upset win over the Aggies.

McLeod is an incredible defensive player and plays the game in a humble way.

“He’s a humble guy; he doesn’t brag about it, but we see it on tape,” Elijah McAllister said Tuesday during SEC Media Days. “I’ve never seen that in my life. I’m like ‘dang, Jalen, you did that?’ What did it feel like? ‘I don’t know, I just blacked out, man.'”

Although McAllister, or the rest of his Auburn teammates, have yet to see McLeod on a full scale, he assures Auburn fans that McLeod will prove his worth this season on the field.

“J-Mac, man, that dude’s athletic, he’s freaky, he’s twitchy,” McLeod said. “I’m excited to share the field with him, I’m excited to continue to learn from him in terms of pass rush.”

McAllister also went on to say that he and McLeod will bring a lot to the table, and will provide a solid “1-2 punch” to the JACK linebacker spot.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Keldric Faulk named an impact freshman by On3

He was Auburn’s top signee in 2023.

[autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] was the prize jewel of Auburn’s 2023 recruiting class and is poised to make an immediate impact according to On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Zenitz released his list of 20 SEC freshmen positioned to be factors in 2023, and Faulk made the cut. He was the only Tiger to make the list although Zenitz did mention offensive lineman [autotag]Connor Lew[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Kayin Lee[/autotag] as spring standouts.

Faulk was Auburn’s highest-rated signee, checking in as the No. 64 overall player in the country and the No. 10 defensive lineman in theOn3 Industry Ranking. The Highland Home product was also the No. 9 player in Alabama.

He is already in the mix for a starting job at jack linebacker and has the ability and the work ethic to be an immediate contributor to Auburn’s defense as he continues to develop and work to reach his sky-high potential.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1364]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 15 Keldric Faulk

Faulk has the chance to be an immediate contributor at a position of need this season.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is freshman Jack linebacker [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag]. The highest-rated signee from Freeze’s first class, Faulk looks like an immediate contributor and is one of Auburn’s most anticipated newcomers.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Highland Home, Alabama

Height: 6-6

Weight: 288

Class in 2023: True Freshman

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four-Star / No. 9 in Alabama / No. 10 DL

Depth Chart Overview

Faulk, a former top 100 recruit, is ready to contribute as a true freshman and looks to be one of Auburn’s top pass-rushing options already. That is a lot of pressure on someone as young as him, especially considering he is coming from a small high school, but he has the ability and work ethic to be an immediate contributor.

He will likely get snaps at both the jack linebacker spot and at defensive end, as Auburn moves him around to take advantage of his versatility. Expect him to earn more playing time as the season moves on and he continues to adjust to the college level and be challenging for a starting role by season’s end.

 Keldric Faulk’s Photo Gallery

Auburn makes top 5 for elite in-state edge rusher Jakaleb Faulk

Auburn is battling Alabama, Florida, Clemson and Georgia for the four-star edge rusher.

[autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag] is one of Auburn’s top targets in the 2025 recruiting class and the four-star edge rusher is now down to five schools.

He announced a final five of Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Clemson, on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.

From Highland Home, Alabama, he is the younger brother of Auburn JACK linebacker [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag], their top signee in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

The younger Faulk may be over a year away from signing his National Letter of Intent but has not ruled out an early commitment, telling Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente that “I’m thinking about it, yeah. I’ve got a good look of where I think I should be.”

Faulk is the No. 118 overall player and No. 12 edge rusher in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 11 player from Alabama.

Faulk will be on campus numerous times during the coming season to watch his big brother and is also expected to be in attendance for Big Cat Weekend on July 29.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1364]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

247Sports names Keldric Faulk a true freshman to watch for the 2023 season

He is exepcetd to he a key player for Auburn rushing the passer.

One of the biggest holes [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Auburn had to fill this offseason was at edge rusher where the Tigers lost Derick Hall and Eku Leota to the NFL.

Those losses were expected but wasn’t was the departures of every other edge on the roster. While they did a great job landing several transfers their most notable addition was true freshman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag].

Because of the lack of returning players and his ability, he has a chance to make an immediate impact and Chris Hummer of 247Sports believes it will be quite a big one. As he included Faulk in his annual list of the 100 true freshmen to watch.

A last-minute flip from Florida State to Auburn, Faulk carries big expectations with him into his true freshman season. In fact, here’s Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze on Faulk from March: “I think he’s going to be a phenomenal player, and I think he’s going to have to play early.” Auburn lost both of its top edge rushers to the NFL, so there’s plenty of opportunities to go around. Don’t be shocked if the 6-foot-6, 288-pounder is a starter by year’s end.

From Highland Home, Alabama, he was Auburn’s highest-rated signee last year and showed why during spring. He spent time with the first-team offense and impressed due to his athletic ability combined with his impressive frame.

The jump in competition will be stark for Faulk but he has the ability and the work ethic to improve each week and will be a player to watch throughout the season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1364]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

Former Liberty pass-rusher Stephen Sings V commits to Auburn

He spent the past three seasons at Liberty.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is reuniting with one of his former players at a position of need. Former Liberty defensive end [autotag]Stephen Sings V[/autotag] announced his commitment to Auburn Saturday on Twitter.

Sings spent the last three seasons at Liberty where he made 48 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss and 7.0 sacks. The 6-foot-3, 255-pounder is expected to play at both defensive end and jack linebacker for Auburn.

A three-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting cycle, he picked the Flames over Auburn, Missouri, Oregon and more.

He is the 9th defensive transfer to commit to Auburn this offseason and the 19th player overall as Freeze works to overhaul the roster after Auburn went 11-14 over the past two seasons.

Sings is the fifth addition Auburn has made at the jack linebacker spot this offseason. He joins transfers [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag] (Vanderbilt) and [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] (App State) as well as true freshmen [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] and [autotag]Brenton Williams[/autotag].

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1364]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

Transfer target Isaac Ukwu picks SEC rival over Auburn

Auburn was unable to land Ukwu and will now have to face him next season.

[autotag]Isaac Ukwu[/autotag] will play next season in the SEC but it will not be for the Auburn Tigers.

The transfer edge rusher announced his commitment to Ole Miss Friday night on YouTube. He chose the Rebels over Auburn, Kansas, Cal and others.

He entered the transfer portal back on April 25 and Auburn quickly made him a priority, they offered him just two hours after he entered the portal. Ukwu then visited Auburn on April 29.

The Tigers were recruiting him as a jack linebacker, a position they are returning zero players from last year’s roster.

They may have missed out on Ukwu but they have done a great job filling that hole with four addition this offseason. Auburn landed [autotag]Elijah McAlister[/autotag] (Vanderbilt) and [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] (App State) from the transfer portal to go with true freshmen [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] and [autotag]Brenton Williams[/autotag].

Even after McLeod committed to Auburn, the Tigers kept pursuing Ukwu and would have loved to add him. He made 83 tackles, 27.0 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery over the past two seasons.

The Tigers will get a chance to face Ukwu on Oct. 21 when he and Ole Miss come to Jordan-Hare Stadium.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1364]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

Five-star LB Jamonta Waller locks in Auburn visit

Waller is being recruited by Auburn to join the JACK linebacker unit.

One of the top needs for the 2024 class is depth at the JACK linebacker spot, and head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is in the beginning stages of filling that void by welcoming a top prospect to campus this summer.

Jamonta Waller, a five-star linebacker from Picayune Memorial High School in Mississippi, tells Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover that he will be on campus during the weekend of June 2-4 ($). According to 247Sports, Auburn will be his first of three official visits during the month of June, as he will also visit Penn State and Florida.

Auburn extended an offer to Waller on Jan. 20 of this year, and he took an unofficial visit to campus on March 24. Since March, Waller has also paid visits to Florida State, Texas A&M, Tennessee, and LSU.

Freeze looks to build depth at an already low spot, as the Tigers only have four players to occupy the JACK spot: [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag], [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag], [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag], and [autotag]Brenton Williams[/autotag]. Waller’s 11th-grade stats show that he would be a great addition to the unit as he made 106 stops with 24 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

Both 247Sports and On3 have Ole Miss as the team to beat for Waller, however, he has not scheduled an official visit to Ole Miss, nor has he visited unofficially according to his timeline on 247Sports. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine shows Auburn as the No. 2 team, followed by Penn State and Florida.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Keldric Faulk listed among 2023’s most exciting signees

Faulk is already turning heads in the short time that he has been on campus.

The 2023 cycle, although with late momentum, was a great one for the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn ended the cycle by having the 18th-best class which included 10 four-star signees.  Many of Auburn’s signees were once committed to other programs before making the decision to sign with [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Tigers.

After signing day, Rick Suter of USA TODAY High School Sports reached out to editors of all 24 College Wire sites to get their take on which signee would be the most exciting to watch over the next few seasons. When it comes to Auburn, Auburn Wire editor Taylor Jones selected Jack linebacker [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag].

Faulk, who was once committed to Florida State, became Auburn’s top signee as a four-star DL and the No. 9 overall prospect from the state of Alabama. He competed in spring practice with Auburn as an early enrollee, and has already received a compliment from Auburn defensive coordinator, [autotag]Ron Roberts[/autotag], who called him “a tremendous football player.”

Here’s what Jones has to say about Faulk ahead of the 2023 season.

Faulk is a four-star defensive end that flipped from Florida State to Auburn before signing day and became the top signee of the 2023 class. He won the AHSAA Class 2A lineman of the year award after recording 84 tackles for Highland Home High School. He is expected to play a hybrid role between Jack linebacker and defensive line, depending on the game situation.

For a look at other true freshmen to watch this college football season, check out this post from USA TODAY High School Sports.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

Auburn’s A-Day game ranked among this season’s most intriguing spring games

Most of the college football world will be watching A-Day to see the “new look” Tigers under Hugh Freeze.

A new era is underway for the Auburn Tigers Football Program. The hiring of [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has sparked a lot of interest and excitement that the program has not been surrounded by for the past two seasons.

A 247Sports article written by Will Backus listed the spring games with the most interest in 2023 and Auburn’s “A-Day” game made the cut. Backus is looking forward to seeing Freeze back in the SEC.

“If nothing else, this marks coach Hugh Freeze’s return to the SEC stage. The former Ole Miss coach who had his tenure with the Rebels end amid an NCAA investigation into numerous recruiting violations rebuilt his career at Liberty. Now he is right back in the SEC West, trying to revive a program that desperately lost its way under former coach Bryan Harsin. Freeze was relatively vocal about his displeasure at the roster he inherited, thanks to Harsin’s lackluster recruiting efforts, which translated into Freeze hitting the portal hard for 12 prospects. Seven of those play along the offensive or defensive line. Auburn’s spring game is key for those pieces gelling together.”

According to 247Sports, the Tigers have the No. 18 recruiting class and the No. 4 transfer class in 2023.

Among these recruits is defensive lineman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Kayin Lee[/autotag]. Both players are ranked in the top 20 at their position. Some of the biggest hits Auburn made in the portal include linebacker [autotag]Demario Tolan[/autotag] from LSU and defensive lineman [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] from Kentucky.

Auburn’s spring game is scheduled for April 8th and kick-off is set for 1:00 p.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyzb4ahnasj2m3 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]