NFL Draft: David Bailey Scouting Report

Texas Tech's David Bailey, in a black uniform and helmet with white lettering, moves aggressively around a player attempting to grab him

Bailey has an explosive first step, a polished pass rush repertoire, and a habit of making big plays.

Photo: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire

Below is an excerpt from Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey’s scouting report on The SIS NFL Draft Website.

Click here to read the full report and ratings from Kyle Shatto, as well as statistical analysis from our R&D team.

Summary

Bailey has an explosive first step, a polished pass rush repertoire, and a habit of making big plays that will make him an immediate three-down starter with few limitations early on and All-Pro potential in his future.

Rank: #2 overall; Position Rank: #1; Scouting Grade: 6.9 (strong starter)

Overall

David Bailey plays EDGE in Texas Tech’s base-heavy defensive scheme, where he often operates out of a 2-point stance on the outside. After spending his first 3 seasons at Stanford, he transferred to Texas Tech for the 2025 season. He is slightly undersized and can afford to add mass into his lower body, but he compensates by having elite athleticism, long arms, and speed off the edge. He possesses a hot motor which allows him to play through the whistle against both the run and pass. It is clear his competitiveness gives him an advantage in clutch situations, as he is extremely productive on 3rd and 4th downs. There is an obvious confidence and swagger to his game which jumps off the screen in virtually every game of his season at Texas Tech.

Pass Game

Bailey has an elite first step that allows him to beat tackles off the line with quickness. He packs a violent first punch at the POA and can knock linemen who are much heavier off of their pass set. His pass rush repertoire is extensive and very polished, as he has above average rip, swipe, and spin moves he can use when he does not beat them with speed, plus an improving speed-to-power move. He utilizes his very good bend to flatten the top of the arc and finish his rushes with impactful pressures. His advantage as a speed rusher also allows him to beat tackles with a quick inside move. When chipped, he manages to stay balanced through contact and uses his hands well to find his leverage again.

Bailey can afford to add more mass into his frame without sacrificing his quickness as a pass rusher. Against top competition, he may struggle to use long-arm power moves given the size mismatch. Bailey can lose some rush lane integrity on his pursuit of the quarterback, especially when running wide. He will need to continue to improve his counter moves if he wants to maintain his rate of pressure on the quarterback. He is effective when utilized in stunts, freeing himself up to get around double teams and chip blocks. His discipline and intelligence are evident in his excellent screen and RPO recognition; he is consistently among the quickest to react. While he does not drop back into coverage often, his lateral agility mimics that of an off-ball linebacker. He can move numbers to numbers with ease and should be effective in the flat or hook zone when called upon to drop into coverage.

Run Game

Bailey consistently plays through the whistle and can out-leverage much bigger linemen in order to disrupt running backs in the backfield. His first-step agility allows him to sidestep tackles and create early wins. He does a good job jabbing to create space on the outside and prefers to workout around blocks instead of through them. He usually remains disciplined, however, there are instances where he overcommits to an inside rush move, allowing for an open run lane to the outside. He can be overwhelmed by the sheer size of opposing linemen and does struggle with his anchor on the edge. Bailey maintains good vision when engaged with a blocker, which allows him to quickly change direction to pursue a ballcarrier who bounces to the outside. His twitchiness allows him to explode into the backfield and bring down the back for a loss, and he has the speed to track a ballcarrier wide without sacrificing the edge. He is a good tackler who wraps up consistently and brings his juice behind his pads.

Last Word

Bailey projects as an immediate plug-and-play starter who fits best as a 3-4 outside linebacker. There is not much inside versatility given his smaller size, however, he has the athleticism to operate off-ball or in the slot if called upon. He is exceptionally productive in obvious passing situations, making him a must-play on 3rd downs. On special teams, he has the physicality, speed, tackling, and energy to be a nightmare matchup for opponents should he be needed.

Click here to read the full report and ratings from Kyle Shatto, as well as statistical analysis from our R&D team.

Related Research & Analysis

Articles written by the Sports Info Solutions staff

More Research & Analysis