David Bailey NFL Draft scouting report: Why Texas Tech star is drawing Nik Bonitto comparisons originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 NFL Draft is light at a couple of positions, but pass-rushers won't be hard to find.
Between the late first-round and a slew of Day 2 prospects at the edge rusher position, any team that needs a pass-rusher should be able to find one. Not every team will be able to land an elite pass-rushing prospect, however.
Along with Miami's Rueben Bain, depending on who you ask, Texas Tech's David Bailey falls into that category. Bailey finished his college career with an explosive season in Lubbock, leading one of the nation's best defenses alongside fellow draft prospect Jacob Rodriguez.
Here's a closer look at Bailey's scouting report and NFL comparison.
Bailey emerged as one of the top overall prospects in the 2026 draft in his lone season at Texas Tech, recording 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss after transferring from Stanford. Bailey had five forced fumbles in his junior season with the Cardinal before the dominant year in Lubbock.
Tools sometimes matter more than anything to NFL teams, but Shemar Stewart served as a reminder in his rookie season that production matters, too. No pass-rushing prospect was more productive than Bailey in 2025, and he is as seasoned as one can be at the position after four seasons at the college level.
Size can be a concern for Bailey, as he measured in at less than 6-4 at the NFL Combine and weighs less than some of his counterparts who are shorter than him, including Bain. That didn't seem to impact Bailey's pass-rushing ability at the college level thanks to his terrific wingspan and burst.
If Bailey doesn't become a complete player in the NFL, it will likely be because of his run defense. He wasn't as effective of a run defender at the college level, and his size could prevent him from becoming a high-level run defender against even stronger players.
Bailey was a consensus All-American in 2025, notching 14.5 sacks and 19.5 total tackles for loss to match his sack total from his three seasons at Stanford.
Bailey has drawn comparisons to Broncos pass-rusher Nik Bonitto, who broke out in 2024 and was an early Defensive Player of the Year candidate in 2025 before Myles Garrett ran away with the award.
Bonitto wasn't a first-round prospect when he was drafted in 2022, but the star he has become is what Bailey should aspire to be. Bonitto is similarly sized at 6-3 and 241 pounds -- Bailey is very slightly bigger, coming in at 6-3 5/8 and 250 pounds at the NFL Combine -- and he makes the most of his frame as a pass-rusher.
Like Bailey, Bonitto has terrific burst and is an explosive pass-rusher who is far from the most polished run defender, due partly to his size. A career that resembles Bonitto's would be a strong outcome for Bailey.
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SN's Vinnie Iyer projects Bailey to be the No. 3 overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals in his final three-round mock draft.
Bailey has been a popular candidate for the Jets at No. 2, but New York is also believed to be strongly considering Ohio State LB Arvell Reese. The Cardinals have been closely tied to Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, but for a team that badly needs a defensive star, Bailey could be hard to pass up.