The 2026 NFL Draft is just over two months away, but for Texas Tech Red Raiders standout pass rusher David Bailey, the journey to his dreams starts now.
Bailey is coming off of a monster season with the Red Raiders in 2025. He racked up 52 total tackles, 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three defended passes in his lone season at Texas Tech. His production was a big part of the team’s run to the College Football Playoff.
Now, he’s focused on becoming a top-10 pick in the draft.
With that being said, the Kansas City Chiefs have emerged as a potential suitor for Bailey. They have a need to upgrade their pass rushing and Bailey could help with that immediately.
Texas Tech Pass Rusher David Bailey Connected to Kansas City Chiefs
ESPN NFL Draft expert Matt Miller recently revealed a new mock draft. In that mock draft, he projected that the Chiefs would select Bailey with the No. 9 overall pick.
“Although he isn’t the big-bodied defensive end Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo prefers, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Bailey has speed off the snap and the ability to chase down quarterbacks,” Miller wrote. “The Chiefs had only 35 sacks as a team in 2025 (tied for 22nd in the NFL), so Bailey would give their pass rush a jolt with his agility and power.”
Bailey is coming off of a four-year career in college where he played his first three seasons with the Stanford Cardinals. Throughout his entire four-year career, he totaled 163 tackles, 29 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and three defended passes.
As mentioned by Miller, Bailey is an intimidating presence at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds. When that size is combined with elite athleticism and speed off of the edge, Bailey projects to be a serious threat at the NFL level.
David Bailey Receives Interesting NFL Comparison Before Draft
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein has dropped his NFL comparison for Bailey. He thinks the Texas Tech star compares to current Denver Broncos star pass rusher Nik Bonitto.
Kansas City is very familiar with Bonitto. He has been a pain to deal with for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense. If Bailey can become that type of impact pass rusher, Kansas City would be getting excellent value at No. 9 overall.
There are plenty of directions the Chiefs could look to go with their first-round pick. Other players who have been mentioned as potential options include Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.
Regardless of where Bailey ends up, Red Raiders fans will continue rooting him on. He may have only played at Texas Tech for one season, but he was a breakout star and left everything he had on the field each and every week.
It will be interesting to see where he ends up in the 2026 NFL Draft, but Kansas City is a potential suitor to keep an eye on.
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