Dominant edge rusher David Bailey's explosive season garners a top-10 NFL Draft projection, poised to electrify whatever defense he joins.
The college football season has now concluded with Indiana beating Miami in the national championship, which means that NFL mock drafts are going to start flooding and speculating where the stars of CFB will go.
One of the most important positions that NFL teams are always looking for in the draft is at edge rusher. And the Red Raiders have one of, if not the best on the entire class.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com just released his first NFL mock draft following the conclusion of the national championship. And in his first prediction, he thinks that Texas Tech edge David Bailey will be the No. 6 pick to the Cleveland Browns.
"Cleveland should take the best player available here. A receiver could also be in play, but Bailey has the best get-off of any pass rusher in the draft," Jeremiah writes. "Alex Wright is a solid edge who signed a contract extension in November, but Bailey is a different caliber of player. Myles Garrett would have some talented running mates up front."
The Browns obviously have an absolute powerhouse coming off the edge in Myles Garrett, so adding a talent like Bailey to further reinforce their defensive line could be something the team would be interested.
The 22-year-old Red Raider edge rusher had an absolutely monster season in 2026, and was all over the field. He racked up 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, both of which were top in the Big 12.
His 14.5 sacks was the most in all of college football, and his 19.5 TFLs were the second-most behind Western Michigan's Nadame Tucker.
Bailey was also able to show his versatility by tallying 52 total tackles, three passes defended, and even forcing three fumbles. All of this led him to be one of the easiest choices to be named All-American.
Browns superstar Garrett is the overwhelming favorite to win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year with an absurd 23 sacks and 33 tackles for loss, the first of which set the single season record.
If the Browns are on the clock at No. 6 and the impeccable talent of Bailey is still on the board, forming a duo of Garrett and the Red Raider could make their defense even scarier than it already is.