David Bailey, Edge Texas Tech: 2026 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Bailey was a four-star recruit from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. in the class of 2022
David Bailey transferred from Stanford to Texas Tech this offseason to form an exciting pass rushing duo with Georgia Tech transfer Romello Height. Bailey’s athleticism and explosiveness make him one of the most intriguing Day 2 edge prospects in the 2026 class.
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David Bailey, Edge Texas Tech: 2026 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Senior outside linebacker from Irvine, Calif.
Background: Bailey was a four-star recruit from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. in the class of 2022. He was the No. 66 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 81 for Rivals, and No. 62 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 122nd in the nation with an 83 grade out of 100. Bailey transferred from Stanford to Texas Tech for the 2025 season. In 2021, he led Mater Dei to a 12-0 record and the California State Championship for the Open Division while the program maintained its status as the top ranked team in the country. Bailey was the 2021 California Defensive Player of the Year for Cal-Hi Sports and was the Trinity League Defensive Player of the Year and Orange County Defensive Player of the Year. As a senior he earned First Team All-Trinity League honors after being a First Team All-State selection. In his final season, Bailey totaled 54 tackles with 20.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. He received an invitation to the 2022 All-American Bowl. Bailey’s brother, DJ, played defensive end at Harvard, totaling seven sacks in 2016 and four in 2017.
Injuries & Off-Field: Limited by an unspecified injury against Clemson and Virginia Tech (2024)
Awards: 2022 True Freshman All-American (247Sports)
Pros: Special teams experience on the kick return, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units, Freaks List inclusion, explosive athlete, instant accelerator, burst to post some instant wins, stays square to soften the tackle’s outside shoulder before accelerating around the corner, springiness in his legs to work across the offensive tackle’s face, extends but quickly retracts arms to slip under or around linemen, loose lower half to bend and flatten rush angle, ducks and dips to keep pads low and play under linemen at the top of the arc, if he’s even he’s leaving, speed rush, sudden redirection inside for B-gap speed rush, rip move, swipe-rip, club-swim, developmental spin move, athleticism pops on stunts, speed to power shows up rushing against tight ends, forced fumble production, quick to sniff out screens, impressive pursuit speed
Cons: Penalized five times in 2024, lean frame, lacks sand in the pants, good but not great arm length, must diversify pass rush plan, inconsistent bull rush, needs to use more rush fakes to set up B-gap counters, needs hand counters and secondary rush moves, too many missed sacks, might be a passing down-only rotational defender, limited anchor, must improve stack and shed technique, inconsistent ability to hold or produce at POA, motor doesn’t show up as often as desired in pursuit, offers little to no value in shallow drops
Overview: Bailey primarily lined up as a 5-tech and wide-9 in 2024. He put together several dominant performances that forced offenses to adjust their protections, including against San Jose State in his final game with Stanford. Bailey is a freaky athlete with excellent acceleration and explosiveness. According to Bruce Feldman for The Athletic, Bailey reaches a top speed greater than 20.5 miles per hour in 20 yards. That burst and speed show up on Saturdays as Bailey constantly stresses offensive linemen vertically and posts some instantaneous wins with his superior athleticism. He wins cleanly off the line but also displays tempo and mid-play acceleration to whip past offensive tackles. Linemen lack the twitch and agility to recover once he draws even with their shoulders. The California native fires across the offensive tackle’s face to attack the B-gap with a speed rush. He extends his arms to initiate contact before quickly withdrawing them and using the newfound space to slip past offensive tackles. Bailey is a loose, bendy athlete capable of dropping his pad level and slingshoting himself around the corner. He excels at flattening pass rush angles to penetrate the pocket. His pass rush plan includes a speed rush, rips, swipe-rips, club-swims, and a developmental spin move. Bailey shows flashes of speed to power but needs to fill out his lean frame to generate more production with his play strength. He quickly sniffs out screens and has excellent open field speed for pursuit, but his motor doesn’t always drive him to chase down playmakers. Bailey’s arm length should check the box but doesn’t stand out. He needs to diversify his pass rush plan and add counters to work off his bull rush or set up his inside attacks. His lack of high end strength and secondary rush moves currently limits his immediate NFL projection to a rotational role where his efficiency overshadows his volume. The senior offers a limited anchor at the point of attack and struggles to consistently stack and shed blocks. He must improve his hand usage but might always be best as a penetrating defender as opposed to a true edge setter.
Overall, Bailey is a superb athlete with the explosiveness, basic rush plan, and bend to provide value as an early-career designated pass rusher. He possesses immense upside and could contend for a top 50 selection if he expands his rush plan and improves his anchor in run defense. Bailey projects as an eventual starting outside linebacker in the NFL.
Role & Scheme Fit: Designated pass rusher in a 3-4 scheme
Round Grade: Early Third Round
Size: 6'3", 250 lbs. (Unofficial)
Submitted: 04-13-25