4-star EDGE Keldric Faulk flips to Auburn from Florida State

Highland Home (Ala.) four-star EDGE Keldric Faulk, a Florida State commit since July 5, made a visit to the Seminoles last weekend. He also made his way to Auburn. Faulk wanted to learn more about the Tigers following the Bryan Harsin era.

He found out a lot regarding Auburn’s future under new head coach Hugh Freeze. After a roughly six hour trip to The Plains, Faulk took some time to think about his football future. He decided that Auburn was the best place for him, and announced his flip to the Tigers from Florida State on National Signing Day.

“Just being around those coaches, it was like I’ve known them for four or five years already and I’ve only known them for two-and-a-half weeks,” Faulk told On3. “(Defensive line) coach (Jeremy Garrett) on that visit taught me more than a lot of coaches have in the couple years that I’ve known them. I feel like if he can teach me something in an hour-span, what can he teach in two-to-three years or three-to-four years?”

Choosing the Tigers allows Faulk to play college football close to home. Auburn is a 75-80 minute drive from Faulk’s house, which will allow him to see his family more often.

When Freeze was hired, the 6-foot-6, 243-pound pass rusher was not sure how the Tigers would recruit him. Like Harsin’s staff, they worked hard for his pledge. Faulk could feel the interest from not only Auburn, but also Freeze.

“I think Hugh Freeze is a really genuine guy,” said Faulk, the No. 90 overall prospect and No. 16 EDGE in the 2023 On3 Consensus. “He hasn’t really given me a recruiting speech. I’ve heard so many throughout the years to where I know what they sound like. I don’t think he’s really given me a recruiting speech. (Rather), he’s been talking to me through experience with former players and he has an example of how he treats his players and the relationship he has with them, with coach JG on staff. He played (for) him at Ole Miss and coached with him at Liberty. It just shows that he’s a player’s coach.”

Faulk acknowledged that his flip was a difficult decision. However, he is excited to pursue the next step of his football journey at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

“It’s pretty tough,” Faulk said. “Florida State’s been on me for at least two years now. I’ve built a great relationship with those guys over the course of time, but I have to sit back and think about what’s best for me, what’s best for my family and how where I’m going to be at could benefit me and them at the same time.”