Does David Bailey Have A Case For EDGE1?

Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey was outstanding throughout Thursday's 23-0 defeat to Oregon. The Red Raiders standout was consistently impactful and disruptive. Bailey made a strong case for being the top EDGE rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft class.

Bailey was credited with making nine total tackles. The athletic and speedy pass rusher registered one sack and two tackles for loss. He also added two pass breakups to his defensive totals.

Oregon right tackle Alex Harkey routinely struggled to contain Bailey's athleticism. Offensive coordinator Will Stein was oddly content to let Texas Tech's EDGEs rush on an island. On Bailey's sack, he simply beat Harkey around the edge with speed and first-step explosiveness.

Bailey also answered questions about his run defense. The former Stanford transfer has been questioned for his ability to be a three-down defender at the next level. On this rep, Bailey quickly beat Harkey into the backfield to record a tackle for loss on 3rd-and-short.

Bailey's season now concludes with a college football-high 14.5 sacks. No pass rusher was more productive. Even though Texas Tech's campaign is now finished, Bailey made a strong statement versus Oregon heading into his pre-draft process.

The Irvine, California native displayed every trait scouts were looking for. Bailey was athletic and dynamic when rushing the passer. He was stout versus the run, and alert in the passing game to get his hands up and bat passes down at the line of scrimmage.

Bailey also committed to compete in this year's Panini Senior Bowl. It will be a fantastic opportunity for NFL decision makers to evaluate him in the draft's most competitive environment. Bailey could continue increasing his pre-draft stock in Mobile.

The initial belief was that Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain Jr. were the top two pass rushers in the NFL Draft. Reese's evaluation is far more complicated. Ohio State was upset by Miami in the CFP earlier this week. Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia was using him in a hybrid linebacker role.

Patricia did Reese's pre-draft evaluation no favors. Reese was rarely afforded opportunities to rush the passer down the stretch. Playing more of a see-ball, chase-ball role, he recorded zero sacks in his final six games. Right now, he’s pure projection as a pass rusher.

Bain has also been fantastic throughout the CFP. He entered the playoff facing serious questions about his arm length and future positional value. Some scouts allegedly believe Bain will play an interior role due to a lack of length on the edge. He’s responded with two strong performances versus Texas A&M and Ohio State.

Currently, Bailey's evaluation is significantly more straightforward than Reese's and Bain's. Bailey is a traditional speedy pass rusher with athleticism and first-step explosiveness. He possesses ideal arm length to thrive on the edge.

Bailey had a standout game against Oregon. There's officially a three-player race to be the top EDGE rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft. Don't be stunned if the pre-draft process ends with Bailey sitting atop his positional class.