David Bailey LB/EDGE Stanford | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
David Bailey LB/EDGE Stanford
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 05/21/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.52 seconds (92%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.9 DOB: 08/28/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |
| Last Updated: 05/21/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.52 seconds (92%*) | |
| Age: 21.9 DOB: 08/28/2003 | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 85.1 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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73% |
| Pass Rush: |
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100% |
| Run Defense: |
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65% |
| Coverage: |
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91% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#75
Position rank:
#8
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| College Games: 34 College Snaps: 1142 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
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247 RATING: 97/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Derick Hall - Auburn |
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86% |
| Dallas Turner - Alabama |
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79% |
| Chris Braswell - Alabama |
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76% |
Draft Profile: Bio
David Bailey emerged as a defensive force at powerhouse Mater Dei High School, where he terrorized opposing offenses en route to a perfect 12-0 season and California State Championship. The former California Defensive Player of the Year racked up an impressive 54 tackles, 20.5 TFLs, and 15.5 sacks during his senior campaign, establishing himself as one of the nation's premier defensive recruits. His dominance earned him the Trinity League Defensive Player of the Year award and a coveted spot in the 2022 All-American Bowl.Bailey wasted no time making his mark at Stanford, earning 247Sports True Freshman All-American honors after recording 46 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks while starting 9 games in 2022. His trajectory continued upward as a sophomore, despite limited action in just 10 games, where he still managed to lead the Cardinal in both tackles for loss (6) and sacks (5). The 6'3", 240-pound edge defender saved his most explosive performance for the 2023 season opener against Hawaii, posting 6 tackles, 4 TFLs and 3 sacks – the most by a Stanford player since 2014.
Following a coaching change at Stanford, Bailey took his talents to Texas Tech as a graduate transfer for his final season of eligibility. The former four-star recruit joined a Red Raiders squad with championship aspirations, bringing his career totals of 111 tackles, 22.5 TFLs, and 14.5 sacks to Lubbock. His arrival, combined with Georgia Tech transfer Romello Height, immediately strengthened Texas Tech's pass rush capabilities as they pursued the program's first Big 12 title under coach Joey McGuire.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- First-step explosion borders on elite – consistently the first defender moving at the snap, allowing him to disrupt plays before they develop and dictate tempo against slower-footed tackles.
- Possesses rare athletic traits evidenced by making Bruce Feldman's 2023 Freak List – hitting 20.53 mph in 20 yards with peak acceleration of 5.5 meters/second while displaying freakish 550-pound squat power.
- Shows exceptional bend and ankle flexibility around the edge that can't be taught – maintains speed through his turns and shows ability to flatten to the quarterback without losing momentum.
- Coverage instincts surpass most edge defenders, displaying natural feel in zone drops with proper depth and spatial awareness, giving him three-down potential at the next level.
- Demonstrates violent hands when engaging blockers – quick to disengage with effective swipe, rip, and club techniques that maximize his leverage advantages against taller tackles.
- Motor runs scalding hot with relentless backside pursuit – plays through the whistle with urgency and shows the dog mentality coaches covet when chasing down plays from behind.
- Scheme versatile weapon who projects effectively in multiple fronts – can play with hand in dirt as 4-3 end or stand up as 3-4 outside linebacker depending on defensive call.
- Consistent tackler with impressive strike zone – wraps up with authority and doesn't rely on arm tackles, generating significant stopping power through his lower half when finishing plays.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Lacks ideal bulk and length for setting the edge consistently against NFL tackles – frame appears maxed out at 240 pounds, potentially limiting him in run-heavy defensive schemes.
- Run defense technique remains a work in progress – shows concerning tendency to get washed out when blockers get square on him and struggles to re-establish position once displaced.
- Pass rush repertoire lacks diversity – wins primarily with first-step and bend rather than a developed plan of attack, leaving him without reliable counters when initial rush stalls.
- Shows concerning vulnerability against zone read concepts – often caught in no-man's land with indecisive play that creates seams for both quarterback and running back options.
- Over-pursues far too frequently – aggressiveness becomes a liability against misdirection plays, leaving cutback lanes that more disciplined runners will exploit at the next level.
Scouting Report: Summary
Bailey will make an immediate impact as a designated pass rusher who can wreak havoc on passing downs, but the road to becoming an every-down defender will require significant technical refinement. His bend and closing burst jump off the screen, yet his struggles against zone-read concepts and tendency to get washed out against double teams cannot be ignored by NFL evaluators.What separates Bailey from similar athletic specimens is his surprising comfort dropping into coverage – a trait that opens the door for creative usage in multiple defensive fronts. This versatility gives him third-down value beyond just pinning his ears back. The technical rawness in his hand usage and counter moves, however, will limit his ceiling until properly developed, likely relegating him to a rotational role early in his career.
The bottom line comes down to role definition – teams must draft Bailey with a clear developmental plan rather than expecting immediate three-down impact. His athletic testing numbers will tempt teams to reach earlier than his tape warrants, but patience will be required. The flashes of dominance shown in isolated games (like his three-sack performance against Hawaii) demonstrate the tantalizing upside that makes him worth the investment for teams willing to develop his considerable raw tools.
Written By:
Lennox Tate
How other scouting services rate David Bailey (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
62.8
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
6.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.