Auburn may have lost a major piece off the edge, but one newcomer is already drawing attention as a possible answer. After Keldric Faulk went in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft to the Tennessee Titans, the Tigers are looking for someone to help fill that opening at EDGE, and outside linebacker recruit Jaquez Wilkes is getting a long look.
CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford put Wilkes on his list of SEC freshmen to watch for the 2026 season, and Auburn was his lone representative. That says plenty about how the freshman is being viewed, especially on a roster that kept a lot of defensive talent in place under DJ Durkin despite being heavy on portal additions.
“The Tigers have the experience to ease Wilkes into the lineup, but his talent could shorten the process. The rangy freshman possesses the sideline-to-sideline speed and instincts that are musts for first-year contributors in this league.
Coaches have been impressed with his maturity and ability to process the game, traits that often determine whether young pass rush-linebacker hybrids see the field early. Wilkes also has the versatility to help on special teams while earning defensive snaps.
By the second half of the season, he could be one of Auburn's most dependable young defenders,” Crawford wrote.
On paper, Ole Miss transfer Da'Shawn Womack and sophomore Jared Smith are expected to be the starters. But Wilkes has enough juice to force the issue if he starts making plays.
He’s an aggressive defender who can shoot through the line from different angles, though that production came against Class 1A, Region 6 competition. That jump to SEC speed is real.
Even so, Crawford’s confidence is rooted in the tape and the traits. Wilkes’ athletic profile is enough to suggest he could become something special quickly, with Durkin and the staff tasked with bringing him along. That matters, because Durkin has done his best work with linebackers.
There’s even a lofty ceiling comparison floating around: Arvell Reese.
The idea is that Wilkes could follow a similar path if Auburn uses him the right way. Reese, now with the New York Giants, was described as one of the most physically gifted players to ever suit up in the Scarlet and Gray, and the similarities are easy to spot.
Both are sideline-to-sideline defenders. Both are stronger against the run than as pure pass rushers.
And their size is almost the same, with Wilkes still having a full season in the weight room at the Woltosz Football Performance Center ahead of him.
The one area where Reese has the edge is speed. Reese ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash, while Wilkes is at 4.61.
That’s a number Wilkes will need to keep chasing, but it’s also fair to remember where he’s coming from. He didn’t have access to the kind of facilities he’s about to get at Auburn.
So the path is there, even if it won’t be instant. Wilkes has real upside on the Plains, but patience will matter. If he can close the gap and make the most of the opportunity in front of him, the Reese comparison doesn’t feel out of reach over time.
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