Of all the positions the Cleveland Browns appear to have well-covered as we plunge deeper into the 2026 NFL offseason, edge rusher would seem to be at the top of the list, a spot Cleveland need not be much concerned about. They’ve got the best one in the game right now–and perhaps of all time–in Myles Garrett, and with Alex Wright having just re-upped on a three-year, $33 million contract. Thus, seeing star Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey crop up on the list of NFL draft prospects the Browns have had in for Top 30 visits is somewhat of a surprise.
But Bailey did, in fact, visit the Browns, despite a lack of need there. The chance that Bailey could fall to No. 6, where Cleveland first picks, is a longshot but not out of the realm of possibility. Arvell Reese from Ohio State is considered the top prospect on the edge, and after that either Bailey or Miami’s Rueben Bain is likely to be a Top 5 pick.
Bailey was an All-American who led the nation with 14.5 sacks last year.
Picking David Bailey in NFL Draft Could Affect Myles Garrett
It is possible that Bailey will be the best player available when the Browns pick at No. 6, and if they’re truly sticking with the idea that they need to take the best player when he’s on the board–despite such glaring needs for receivers and offensive linemen–there’s a chance Cleveland winds up with Bailey.
Naturally, that would be something of a sensitive pick, given the rumblings in the past three weeks around Garrett, and whether the Browns would/are considering trading him. The team and Garrett made an adjustment in his contract that reportedly makes him an easier player to trade, but at the same time, the Browns have denied that moving Garrett is their goal.
Still, it is hard to imagine the Browns going to training camp with Garrett, a $40 million per year edge on one side, and Wright, an $11 million per year edge on the other, and the No. 6 pick Bailey in the mix there, too. Something would have to give.
GettyMyles Garrett, Browns
Will Browns Stick With Best Player Available Strategy?
NFL draft gurus generally have Bailey slotted between No. 3 and No. 9 in most mock drafts. Despite four years and 46 collegiate games (Bailey was at Stanford before his one year at Tech), Bailey is still considered a work-in-progress and one scenario could have the Browns choosing Bailey, letting him be mentored by Garrett for a year, then trading Garrett next offseason.
At The Athletic, Dane Brugler has Bailey slotted in as the No. 7 overall prospect. Pro Football Focus rates him No. 6 overall.
That’s player ratings. Mock drafts, reflecting positional value, have Bailey a notch higher because edge rushers are at a premium. ESPN’s Peter Schraeger, in fact, has Bailey going the highest, at No. 2 to the Jets.
Wrote Schrager: “This will likely be either Bailey or Ohio State’s Arvell Reese — New York was 31st in sacks last season with 26 — but I have to think Bailey is the guy for the Jets. He is a polished pass rusher with proven production, tying for the FBS lead in sacks (14.5) in 2025. He can be a Day 1 disrupter off the edge.”
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