2026 NFL Prospect Profile: Texas Tech Linebacker/Edge Rusher David Bailey

David Bailey attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, where he was a dominant defensive player. As a senior in 2021, he registered 54 tackles and 15.5 sacks and was named The Orange County Register Defensive Player of the Year. The four-star recruit played in the 2022 All-American Bowl, and during his senior season, he committed to Stanford University. 

Bailey became a day one starter for Stanford, and overall, he played in 11 games with nine starts and had 46 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He had fewer tackles in his sophomore season but more sacks, collecting 34 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 10 starts for the Cardinals. 

With the coaching change in Palo Alto, Bailey transferred to Texas Tech to finish his college career and prepare for the NFL draft. 

Strengths 

• Tackling
• Athleticism
• Versatility
• Burst
• High-Motor

The first thing that stands out about David Bailey is his ability to play all along the defensive line and at linebacker. His versatility will go a long way to helping out his draft stock in April. 

Bailey is an exceptional athlete with a combination of speed and power that put him on Bruce Feldman's 2023 Freak List at #68. He plays the game at a high tempo and is always playing through the whistle. He consistently makes plays on the back end with his never-ending hustle. When playing out on the edge, his first step is explosive, and he has the body control to get underneath the blocker’s pads, making it difficult to contain him. 

When playing against the run, Bailey is a strong tackler who does a solid job of breaking down and then wrapping up the ball carrier. 

Weaknesses

• Frame
• Angles
• Pass Rush Moves
• Tweener
• Over Pursuit

Bailey has a high motor, but that gets him in trouble at times. He can over-pursue or take bad angles, which lead to containment problems, but when he is in control, he breaks down efficiently and makes secure tackles. Bailey has a "tweener" build, which will have some teams assessing him in different ways. He is only 6-foot-3, which is a little on the short side for edge rushers in the NFL. When playing the edge, Bailey beats his opponents in one way—speed. He will need to add some pass-rush moves and different styles to be able to consistently put pressure on quarterbacks in the NFL.

Conclusion 

David Bailey is a versatile edge/linebacker hybrid who can be used in any defense. He has a high ceiling and a low floor, making him a valuable third or fourth round pick who can become a starter or, at worst, a valuable depth piece. 

If Bailey hits his ceiling and reaches his full potential, he could become a player like Khalil Mack. Mack is a hybrid defensive end/linebacker who has become a sack artist over the years. Both players are 6-foot-3, so if a team can find a way to set Bailey free the way Mack has been allowed to play during his career, he could become a longtime contributor in the NFL.