After surging to the New York Jets as the No. 2 pick, the prolific pass rusher dominates betting markets to make history as the program's first award-winner.
Former Texas Tech star David Bailey hasn't played a single NFL snap yet, but expectations for the rookie edge rusher are already sky-high.
Just weeks after becoming the highest-drafted defensive player in Texas Tech history, Bailey has emerged as the betting favorite to win the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
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Multiple sportsbooks currently list the New York Jets pass rusher tied with Reuben Bain Jr. at top of the odds board at +500, ahead of a talented rookie class that includes players such as Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Caleb Downs.
For Red Raiders fans, the recognition comes as little surprise.
Bailey spent the 2025 season terrorizing opposing quarterbacks and establishing himself as one of the most dominant defenders in college football.
After transferring to Texas Tech from Stanford, he elevated his draft stock significantly, finishing the year with 14.5 sacks and helping anchor one of the best defenses in program history. His combination of speed, explosiveness, and pass-rushing instincts eventually convinced the Jets to select him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Now the betting markets believe Bailey is in the best position to make an immediate impact at the professional level.
And the opportunity is certainly there.
The Jets selected Bailey to become a cornerstone of their defense, and he is expected to play a major role from Day 1. New York's coaching staff is counting on him to help revitalize a pass rush that struggled to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks last season, as they finished with the second fewest sacks in the NFL in 2025 with just 26.
For Texas Tech, Bailey's status as the current favorite is another reminder of how far the program has come. The Red Raiders produced one of the premier defensive prospects in the country, and now that same player enters his NFL career with legitimate expectations of bringing home one of the league's most prestigious rookie honors.
A former Red Raider has never won either of the NFL's Rookie of the Year awards, so this prediction for Bailey could mean he is in store for even more Texas Tech history.
