It stands to reason that the Washington Commanders will use their first-round pick on a defensive player in April’s 2026 NFL Draft. Even if Washington spends big in free agency, it needs young, fast defenders all over the defense. The Commanders‘ primary need is a game-changing edge rusher.
Most mock drafts have Texas Tech’s David Bailey or Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. heading to Washington at No. 7 overall. However, Lance Zierlein has a different idea in his first mock draft. Zierlein has Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk going to the Commanders.
Faulk has impressive size, can play in odd or even fronts and is still filling out his frame. The upside trumps the unremarkable 2025 production.
In this mock, Bailey went No. 4 to Tennessee, while Washington bypasses Bain, who lands with the Chiefs at No. 9 overall. That’s an interesting decision.
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There’s a lot to like about Faulk. He is 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds. He’s only 20 years old. His length and athleticism are off the charts. However, in 37 games at Auburn, Faulk finished with 109 tackles, including 19.5 for loss and 10 sacks. In 2025, Faulk played in 12 games and had 29 tackles, five for loss and two sacks.
If he’s the pick, Washington would be betting big on potential. Faulk could be a superstar at the next level. Based on talent alone, he’s easily a top-10 pick. It’s not as if he didn’t play well at Auburn; people see his size and skill and assume he should’ve had double-digit sacks every season.
The Commanders could like Faulk’s versatility and his ability to play in odd or even fronts, or kick inside to tackle. Regardless of what Washington does, it can’t afford to get this pick wrong. Faulk’s ceiling could be higher than any edge rusher in this draft. With their coaching decisions already this decision, the Commanders have shown they’re unafraid to bet on potential.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders take Auburn EDGE in new NFL mock draft