NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Auburn Edge Keyron Crawford

Keyron Crawford is an intriguing developmental prospect due to his combination of athleticism and strength at the point of attack. The former basketball player is still relatively new to the game, not playing football until his senior year of high school, which could elevate his ceiling for some teams.

The 6'4", 253-pound edge defender began his college career as a 3-star recruit in the 2022 class at Arkansas State. In 23 games with the Red Wolves, he racked up 58 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defended before transferring to Auburn in 2024.

With the Tigers, Crawford served as a rotational player during his first season and became a full-time starter this past fall, collecting 58 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, five sacks (all in 2025), one FF and an interception over 24 games. His performance resulted in a third-team All-SEC bid for the 2025 season.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Where He Wins

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- Crawford has solid size and a decent frame with room to add weight if needed.

- Good overall athlete with acceleration off the line of scrimmage to threaten offensive tackles with speed as a pass-rusher, and the change of direction to beat linemen across their faces.

- Athleticism and lateral movement skills also allow him to be effective as the looper in line games, taking efficient paths to the quarterback.

- Active hands when rushing the passer to occasionally "beat the hands, beat the man".

- Decent bend to corner at the top of the rush.

- As a run-defender, he takes on blocks with his hands and has flashed good upper-body strength to win at the point of attack.

- When unblocked against the run, he stays close to the line of scrimmage and has speed to make tackles from the backside of zone runs.

Areas of Improvement

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- Crawford has inconsistent timing and accuracy with his hands as a pass-rusher, and his subpar arm length reduces the margin for error.

- Lacks the mass and lower-body strength to effectively turn speed to power when rushing the passer.

- Gets washed inside and knocked off his path pretty easily by chip blocks.

- Against the run, he plays with high pad level and lacks lower-body strength to consistently set the edge against offensive tackles.

- Struggles to get off blocks as a run defender.

- Has a habit of lunging and leaving his feet when tackling, leading to misses.

Grade, Rank, and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 6.5 (Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: Barryn Sorrell, Texas (6.4 in 2025), Brennan Jackson, Washington State (6.2 in 2024), DJ Johnson, Oregon (6.2 in 2023)

OVERALL RANK: 162

POSITION RANK: EDGE16

PRO COMPARISON: Jalyx Hunt

Measurables and Testing Data

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Height: 6'4"
Weight: 253
Hand: 9"
Arm: 32"
Wingspan: N/A

40-Yard Dash: N/A
10-Yard Split: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Shuttle: N/A
Vertical: N/A
Broad: N/A