Elite Red Raider pass rusher David Bailey could be the answer to Washington’s defensive struggles that have plagued them the last several seasons.
The Seattle Seahawks winning the Super Bowl has now concluded the NFL season, so now it is time to start looking forward to the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
And mocks are going to start flying left and right.
In a recent mock draft by PFF's Max Chadwick, he puts together his own list after the conclusion of the NFL season. And at No. 7 in his mock, he has the Washington Commanders drafting superstar Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.
"The Commanders have fielded one of the NFL's six lowest-graded defenses in each of the past three seasons," Chadwick writes. "Washington addresses that by drafting Bailey, college football's highest-graded defender this past season (93.3). He led college football in PFF pass-rush grade in each of the past two seasons at Texas Tech and Stanford."
Washington’s defense has been searching for answers for a while now, particularly when it comes to consistently affecting the quarterback. Despite investing resources on that side of the ball, the Commanders have struggled to turn pressure into stops, often leaving the offense with little margin for error on Sundays. That’s where Bailey enters the conversation as a potential difference-maker.
Bailey’s time in Lubbock was defined by explosiveness, effort, and a relentless motor off the edge. He wasn’t just racking up sacks—he was consistently winning reps, collapsing pockets, and forcing offenses to adjust protections just to slow him down.
Those traits translate cleanly to the NFL, where pass rush remains one of the most valuable currencies in the game.
Bailey finished his final year with the Red Raiders with 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, both of which led the Big 12 conference. And not only was his sack number the highest in the conference, but also all of college football.
For Texas Tech, a Commanders selection would be another strong data point in the program’s growing reputation for developing NFL-ready defensive talent. Bailey becoming a first-round or early-day pick would validate both his individual journey and the Red Raiders’ ability to prepare players for the next level.
Mock drafts will keep changing, but the idea of David Bailey hearing his name called early—and bringing a little Texas Tech edge to Washington—is one that’s easy to get excited about.