Keldric Faulk has Ron Roberts' attention: He has 'shown the ability to be a heck of a football player for us'
AUBURN – It has been rare to talk to a defensive coach at Auburn and not hear the name Keldric Faulk.
For those who don’t know, Faulk, a former prized recruit from Highland Home (Ala.), flipped to Auburn on signing day after a long commitment with Florida State.
Now, he’s turning heads at Auburn spring practice as an early enrollee freshman. Specifically, he has the attention of defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett, who was his main recruiter, and Tigers’ defensive coordinator Ron Roberts.
“I think he’s grown quite a bit, I think we really started on practice six to really start seeing his ability go up,” Roberts said on Tuesday. “There’s so much hesitation, what do I do, what am I doing, how am I playing this, how am I playing that. Which is normal and kind of expected. He really is a guy who should be going to his high school prom right now. I think he’s done an outstanding job and shown the ability to be a heck of a football player for us.”
Roberts has gotten to see the quick growth of Faulk first-hand as he coaches the Jack linebackers at practice. He wants to temper expectations, but can’t ignore the talent at the same time.
“It’s been good, like I said, he’s going to be a tremendous football player,” Roberts said. “We don’t need to have the expectations too high and too much on him. He’s going to go through spring and make tremendous progress, he will probably make the biggest progress through summer and fall camp and hopefully, I’ll be looking at a guy who is ready to play SEC football.”
Garrett knew what he was getting when recruiting Faulk
Garrett, unprompted, wanted to talk about Faulk when asked about his defensive line picking up slack in the pass rush for a young Jack group.
He noted that his guys will have to create pass rush, but said to watch out for one young Jack linebacker in particular.
“A young Jack, I’m going to tell you–Keldric Faulk is going to be it,” Garrett said. “He’s going to be it. Really excited about the way he rushes and the way he’s progressed since he got here. He’s going to be good.”
According to Garrett, Faulk has yet to scratch the surface of what he’s capable of.
It makes sense.
Faulk told Auburn Live in December, while still committed to the Noles, that Garrett was truly investing in him.
“Man, he’s a real good guy,” Faulk said in December after the Alabama, Mississippi All-Star Game. “He’s been consistent with talking to me all throughout this week. I feel like he’s really trying to invest in me. He’s a real good coach, real good person.”
It sounds as though Garrett has kept his word.
“He’s rare, and he’s so unassuming,” Garrett said. “Like, I don’t think he realizes how good he can actually be. He has come in and worked. He’s not listening to anybody tell him how good he is or anything like that. He’s coming in and studying, he’s working hard, he’s trying to learn. He is out there early walking through techniques. I just think the kid is going to be special and has a bright future as he keeps progressing.”
