David Bailey Looks Like a Man Among Boys on Game Film

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This is how I will remember Texas Tech Edge David Bailey when I evaluated every single snap he played in during the 2025 season.

Cocked and ready to roll.

Bailey’s pass-rushing toolbox is full and available for his usage.

Per Pro Football Focus:

13 sacks

73 pressures

Are you kidding me?

We’re not talking about his college career pass-rushing numbers. We’re just talking about the numbers he posted in 2025.

Set-hut.

Look-out!

#31 David Bailey off the edge

Vs. Kansas State (2025) pic.twitter.com/RU7l7Tr8qN

— FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) February 4, 2026

Elite pass-rushing traits

• Violent
• Mean
• Brutal
• Physical
• Strong
• Powerful
• Twitchy
• Electric
• Athletic
• Nimble
• Flexible
• Fast
• Sudden
• Short-area burst
• Opportunistic

Now that I have your attention…

What do all these traits look like put together on tape?

Bailey can look like a bat out of hell.

Pre-snap ⎯

Sometimes he lines up with both of his hands down in the dirt, but more often he’s lined up standing up.

Sometimes he’s on the left side, and sometimes he’s on the right. Once in a while, he’ll shake the dice and line up somewhere in the middle and give the center and the guards something to fret about.

Opposing offenses constantly need to be aware of where he is at all times.

He can finesse it and speed rush.

⎯or⎯

He can flex and put the offensive tackle on skates.

His choice.

When he speed rushes ⎯

It looks like he was shot out of a cannon.

When he bull rushes ⎯

It’s nasty.

Heavy hitter

I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet, when he beats the block in front of him and has the quarterback in his crosshairs.

Bailey ain’t playing flag football ⎯

He’s not taking it easy ⎯

Oh no.

He saves his best for them.

It’s like watching a grown man smashing an oven with an aluminum baseball bat, the way he hits these quarterbacks.

He comin.

This is why quarterbacks flush out of the pocket so easily when he’s closing in. Just his mere presence alone can cause interceptions even if he never touches them. That’s how much he’s in their heads.

I call it “The David Bailey Effect.”

Just another added benefit.

Texas Tech Edge #31 David Bailey bringing the pressure that leads to an interception vs. Kansas State (2025) pic.twitter.com/xnO3Y0JQQr

— FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) February 4, 2026

Criticisms?

Okay…

Okay…

I’ll stop writing this Valentine’s Day scouting report for a moment and get into what bothers me about Bailey.

• Gets too lax about half the time
• Run defense
• Character concerns

About half the time, Bailey lets his foot off the gas. Whether he’s doing it by design to set up the offense for the kill is open to debate. While he demonstrated he can hammer running backs, he looks pretty disinterested in the run game. Texas Tech would even sub someone else in there on early run downs.

As for the character concerns:

🚩 2024: Bailey stomped on an opponent’s head when he was down on the ground (video clip)

🚩 2025: Bailey reportedly attacked a photographer (MSN)

NFL projection

While those two red flags will be a serious topic of pre-draft conversation in NFL buildings, Bailey’s rare pass-rushing skill set is too much to pass up in a passing league.

Some team is going to hit the game-show buzzer early.

That’s because Bailey is a difference maker.

#31 David Bailey 6-foot-3, 250 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2026 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Alert: Character Risk

Projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be a First Round prospect as of February 4, 2026

David Bailey Understands the Art of Leverage (2024: 9 games evaluated)

2025 game film evaluated: Arkansas Pine Bluff, Kent State, Oregon State, Utah, Houston, Kansas, ASU, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, BYU, UCF, West Virginia, BYU, and Oregon (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Predatory defender. Long arms. Explosive. Plays bully ball. Has a spring to his step. Fast first step. Looks pretty moving around. Excellent bend. Understands leverage. Uses hands well. Presses the backdoors of the pocket hard. Additional pass rush moves shown: head fake, slap-and-go, swim, and well-timed spin moves. Instinctual. Occasional “X” stunt. Good short area acceleration up the pocket. Agile pocket adjustments. Thrives on contact. Unblockable when he’s set off. Sparingly becomes a spy or drops into shallow zone coverage.

Final words

Bailey is all that and a bag of chips.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. Featured in USA Today. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.