FSU football beats Clemson and Auburn for elite DL Keldric Faulk

FSU football needed a shot in the arm and elite top 100 defensive lineman Keldric Faulk was the answer Tuesday afternoon.

The Alabama native is the first top 100 defensive lineman committed to the Noles since the 2017 recruiting cycle.

He’s also their highest-rated commit in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

Faulk announced the commitment at a high school ceremony with family and friends in attendance.

I felt the Noles had a realistic chance of getting Faulk based on how he handled his recruitment. He visited them more than anyone else and scheduled the FSU official visit last. However, Clemson has been recruiting at a high level lately, so that was the school I worried about the most. In the end, it was all about the relationships created with the coaching staff, which is something we have become accustomed to hearing from recruits and commits.

I can’t lie, watching live, I had to make sure Faulk didn’t throw the hat down or something after putting it on. That’s the drama FSU football recruiting has been dealing with over the past few years. However, Keldric Faulk is a great addition to the program. I know Florida fans bragged about getting one-time FSU target TJ Searcy, but Faulk is likely why he ended up there.

Keldric Faulk is the No. 84 ranked player nationally and the No. 9 defensive lineman. He checks in at 6’5 and 240 pounds, joining defensive end recruits Lamont Green Jr. and Jaden Jones coming off the edge.

Faulks is the 10th commitment in the 2023 recruiting cycle, and the addition boosts the Noles from No. 46 to No. 38 nationally. Jaden Jones is a JUCO player that doesn’t have a ranking yet so that national ranking isn’t entirely accurate yet.

It’s a far cry from where the Noles need to be, but as I wrote Monday, the recruiting class has a solid foundation in the trenches, where most games are won or lost. Now, the coaching staff needs to turn this into some real momentum as we close out the summer months.