AI predicts 2026 NFL mock draft. What Auburn Tigers made the first round?
AI predicts 2026 NFL mock draft. What Auburn Tigers made the first round? Which Auburn players will be taken in the first round next year according to AI?
Artificial intelligence has progressed quickly in our society. Some use the tool to complete tasks while others use it for entertainment purposes. USA TODAY Sports decided to use the latter method to build a 2026 NFL mock draft using Microsoft Copilot, which includes an Auburn Tiger.
Keldric Faulk has had a stellar career by recording 80 tackles and eight sacks through two seasons on the Plains. Mixing his success with his 6-6, 270-pound frame, he fits the description of a quality defensive lineman in the NFL. Most mocks have Faulk going in the first round, including the AI mock draft that USA TODAY Sports published. According to the AI model, Faulk will land with the Miami Dolphins with the No. 15 overall pick.
Here is what Nick Brinkerhoff of USA TODAY Sports says about Copilot's connection between Faulk and the Dolphins.
Miami appeared to forget that defense was a need for most of the offseason, possessing a roster with just four defensive lineman up until the draft. While still a year away, Faulk would continue to address that need. The chatbot is a fan of Faulk's physical tools who also has great technique and explosiveness.
Should Faulk, or any Tiger, be selected in the first round of next year's NFL draft, it would be Auburn's first selection in the round since 2020 when both Derrick Brown and Noah Igbinoghene were taken by the Carolina Panthers and the Miami Dolphins, respectively. This year, Auburn had three players selected in the NFL draft, with Jarquez Hunter being the first by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round.
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