Hidden Gem Linked to Kansas City Chiefs With No. 9 Pick in NFL Draft?

Keldric Faulk is starting to feel like one of those late risers you don’t see coming until he’s suddenly everywhere on draft boards. He’s not exactly been a headline name this NFL Draft cycle, but don’t let that fool you—the Auburn D-lineman is quietly stacking buzz and climbing into legit first-round territory.

With the Kansas City Chiefs gearing up to make some noise on draft night, his name is beginning to pop up in the mix. Plenty of prospects have been linked to KC already, but in a recent draft notebook from ESPN’s Jordan Reid, Faulk is one of those guys trending into their range. So, “don’t be surprised if” he is a pick that could turn into a draft-night steal.

Chiefs War Room Faces Key Decision With Multiple Needs

ESPN analyst Jordan Reid’s take? Faulk checks the prototype box that NFL scouts drool over. At 6’5”, 276 pounds, he looks the part of a Sunday disruptor. Sure, the pass-rush numbers dipped in 2025, but he’s just 21 and already one of the nastiest run defenders in the class. Scouts are throwing around comps like Greg Rousseau and Mykel Williams—long, explosive, and built to wreck game plans. If KC pulls the trigger at No. 9, that’s a clean scheme fit with serious upside.

That said, not everyone’s locking Faulk into that slot. Fellow analyst Matt Miller has the Chiefs going O-line with Georgia OT Monroe Freeling. While Field Yates mocked Alabama’s Kadryn Proctor to KC. So yeah, the war room could still lean protection over pass rush.

And if you zoom out, the NFL Mock Draft Database has Faulk sitting at No. 19 overall. So taking him top 10 wouldn’t be crazy, but it would be a bit of a projection pick. Feels a little like last year’s Shemar Stewart situation: elite traits, SEC pedigree, but the sack production doesn’t quite match the hype… yet.

Then there’s the draft capital angle. After dealing for Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs now hold two first-rounders, including No. 29 via the Los Angeles Rams. That extra pick gives them flexibility—go high-ceiling at 9, circle back for value later. Or pivot entirely depending on how the board falls (especially if someone like Simpson is still hanging around).