Bengals’ reported interest in former SEC team captain could be alluding to a larger plan beyond him
Cincinnati has eyes all over the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft for good reason.
Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk should now be a player to remember for the Cincinnati Bengals leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid specified the Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs as teams who could pick Faulk within the first 10 picks of April’s draft.
“He fits the exact archetype that teams covet near the top of the draft. At 6-foot-5, 276 pounds, Faulk’s pass-rush production took a step back in 2025, but he’s only 21 and one of the best run defenders in the class. When speaking to scouts, Greg Rousseau and Mykel Williams are two NFL comparisons for him. The Chiefs at No. 9 and the Bengals at No. 10 overall are two teams to watch here.” — ESPN’s Jordan Reid on Keldric Faulk
Kansas City and Cincinnati have each been linked to defensive ends this draft cycle, and it’s surely a great need for both of them. The reason why Faulk, a 2025 team captain for Auburn, was specifically mentioned is because he’s currently not projected to be a top-10 pick. His Average Draft Position (ADP) in The A to Z Sports mock draft database is No. 15. He’s been landing between the No. 15 pick and No. 20 pick in our most recent mock drafts.
Taking a player expected to go around or after the midway point of the first round with the 10th pick is not an insane proposition, but considering the Bengals (and therefore Chiefs) have the chance to snag a potential faller before he exits the first 10 picks, it would seem unlikely for either of them to reach for a player in that scenario. Cincinnati’s interest specifically also speaks to a plan larger than just drafting Faulk.
Bengals could be eyeing a trade back
The Bengals are in an interesting spot. They have a handful of pressing roster needs even after free agency has passed, and despite having the No. 10 pick, there are very real scenarios in which they’re left without an obvious pick to make in a draft class that doesn’t have an excess of true first-round talent.
A guy like Faulk could be a target of theirs because they may not want to end up using the No. 10 on a player, but rather use it to trade down into the teens.
Trading back to anywhere between the No. 15 and No. 20 pick could easily net Cincy with another Day 2 selection to fill a roster hole like linebacker, cornerback, pass rusher, or backup offensive tackle. Should the Chiefs pass on Faulk and a trade like that occurs, the 21-year old would become an even likelier target for the Bengals, and they’d have more ammo to satisfy other needs.
Faulk met with Cincinnati at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, as did other notable names currently projected to be picked outside the first 10 picks in the first round. Defensive tackles Peter Woods and Kaydon McDonald, as well as cornerback Avieon Terrell have all been in contact with the Bengals, and would all make sense as targets following a trade down.
It’s a path that looks very possible for Cincinnati, and Faulk is just the latest data point of evidence.