The potential answer to one of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' most glaring needs might be staring the organization in the face.

Every mock draft linking them to a pass rusher seemingly earns a passing grade. This one will as well. In a recent theory presented in a CBS Sports mock, Tampa Bay is projected to select Keldric Faulk, a rising edge presence out of Auburn Tigers.

This isn't the first time he's been connected to Tampa Bay. He was The Athletic's choice for the Buccaneers this past January. Also, Pro Football Sports Network made the same choice one month earlier in December.

If that scenario plays out, it would signal a clear commitment to fixing a pass rush that has lacked consistency and bite. At six-foot-six and 276 pounds, Faulk certainly looks the part. Thankfully, he doesn't just look like an NFL edge rusher. He also plays like one. That's good news for the team that lands him. Might that team be the Buccaneers?

Drawing lines that connect the dots representing the Buccaneers and Keldric Faulk isn't just about measurables. He earned 2025 third-team All-SEC honors in one of college football’s toughest conferences.

He consistently flashed the kind of disruption teams covet on Sundays. His combination of length, power, and motor made him a weekly problem for opposing offensive lines, even when Auburn as a whole struggled to find its footing.

And struggle they did at times. The Tigers endured a frustrating season by their standards. An up-and-down campaign resulting in them occasionally finding themselves on the wrong end of momentum swings and controversial moments.

See their matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs for reference. Still, Faulk remained a constant. While team results wavered, his effort and impact rarely did.

That consistency is a big reason why many evaluators already view him as one of the top five pass rushers in this year’s draft class. For Tampa Bay, that kind of upside could be invaluable.

Generating pressure has been an ongoing issue. Without it, even the most talented secondaries can only hold up for so long. Adding Faulk wouldn’t just bring size and athleticism. It would inject urgency into the front seven.

He’s the type of defender who collapses pockets, sets the edge, and forces quarterbacks into uncomfortable decisions. Those are traits the Buccaneers have been searching for.

Mock drafts are, of course, projections, not promises. This connection, however, makes sense. Tampa Bay needs juice off the edge, and Faulk has shown he can provide it against elite competition.

If the Buccaneers are serious about elevating their defense, this is exactly the kind of move that could help them take that next step. 

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