Texas Tech players A.J. Holmes Jr. (33), David Bailey (31) and E'Maurion Banks finish a tackle against Arkansas-Pine Bluff during a non-conference football game, Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
David Bailey is one of the highest ceiling prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. He has a very harsh downside because of some of the question marks he has. He logged 14.5 sacks during his last season in college, which made him shoot up draft boards.
Now this leads to the Titans being at a crossroads because this pick could define what Borgonzi’s draft strategy will be from here on out. He could go with David Bailey and pray that Saleh and the staff can develop him to his ceiling, or he could go with a more stable, higher floor option at edge, receiver, or even cornerback. I won’t say names because there are more prospects to go over, but most people can probably guess who they are. Anyway, without further ado, this is the David Bailey draft profile.
Positives of Bailey
Unlike the head coaching profiles, I won’t include a section on the story of draft prospects leading up to their time in the NFL because it’s not really that long of a history for most of these guys. Anyway, let’s focus on the positives of Bailey. The first positive for him is, obviously, his ability to rush the passer. This feels like the most obvious one. Just taking a look at his stats last year, Bailey had 14.5 sacks in only 14 games last season.
There was a bit of worry for me when I saw where he played and thought it was due to his strength of schedule, but he was still solid against real competition. He had a sack against Oregon and played pretty well against BYU in the Big 12 championship. He is somewhat battle-tested, and that would bode very well for him. The next positives are more specific; it’s the speed that Bailey has off the line.
David Bailey is a very fast dude. In an unofficial 40-yard dash, Bailey ran a 4.52, which is ridiculous for a guy at his height and weight. You also see in his film the number of times that all he has to do is run, and he gets into the backfield. His speed will be a game-changer at the NFL level. The last thing I’ll mention is his motor.
This isn’t one of those dudes who was lazy and got here solely because of his freakish athletics. This is a dude who loves the game and really wants to do everything that he can to be great. That is something that this front office and staff want. He’s not like some of our first-round picks like Treylon Burks, who used only his athletics to get to where he was; he loves the work, and he loves being out there. Even with that, though, there are still some downsides to Bailey that need to be addressed and don’t get talked about enough.
Negatives of Bailey
There are negatives to Bailey that probably don’t get talked about as much as they should. I’ll start with the biggest concern for me, and that would be his age. Look, in the grand scheme of things, Bailey isn’t too old, but he is a senior who has developed over time. The problem is that when he comes into the league, how much more will he truly develop?
I mean, that will be ok if he comes into the league like a smoking gun, but if he’s not good by year 3, there’s a chance he’ll never develop. The next negative I’ll mention is one that still concerns me, but is one that is fixable, and that’s his run-stopping. It is one of the worst-kept secrets in this draft cycle that David Bailey is a mediocre run stopper. This alone should tell you how good a pass rusher Bailey is.
The question is, though, is his run-stopping bad enough that it will hold him back from being a consistent starter in the NFL? Honestly, I think Bailey is a good fit for what the Titans need, and he’s a good counter to the other side of the D-line. Think about it, chances are, they’re either running it back with Femi next year, or they’re getting a run-stopping edge in free agency, so why not get somebody that can counter their strengths? The last negative I’ll talk about isn’t as big of a deal, but still something worth noting, and it’s his ability to recognize the screen game.
The truth is, as the NFL slowly evolves, the screen pass becomes more and more relevant. Gone are the days when the deep ball ruled, and Mahomes and Allen would throw for 5,000 yards and 50 TDs; it’s now about the short and quick passes and letting the receiver get in space with the occasional deep ball/jump ball thrown in there. Bailey’s ability to recognize the screen may not be good enough for the NFL, and even though it’s not as big a concern, it’s still something to worry about. Overall, while Bailey has a very high ceiling, there are still some serious concerns.
Overall thoughts on Bailey
All in all, I really like David Bailey as a defensive lineman for this team, and I think he’d fit. He’s got the potential to be one of the best pass rushers in the league, and he fits the desperate need the Titans have had when it comes to a pure pass rusher. Even with the worries I have about his run-stopping abilities, he still is such a good pass rusher that it’s worth it to draft him and pray that he becomes a decent run stopper. Now the question becomes, how likely do I think it is that the Tennessee Titans pull the trigger on Bailey?
Well, I believe that it is very likely that Bailey ends up being the pick for the Titans. It is no secret that the obvious pick for the Titans at four is an edge rusher, especially because of how solid the best guys are at the position. I don’t think he is the number one most likely guy to go here, but it is very possible. Overall, David Bailey is a great D-lineman who needs to be considered by the Titans at pick four.
