David Bailey is expected to be a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, with several experts projecting the Texas Tech edge rusher to go within the top 10, or even top 5. His stock soared in 2025 under Joey McGuire after previously playing at Stanford from 2022 to 2024.
Texas Tech GM Credits Joey McGuire for David Bailey’s Explosive Season in 2025
In 2025 at Texas Tech, Bailey matched the total sacks (14.5) he had accumulated over three years at Stanford. He also improved in quarterback hits (38 vs. 26) and nearly matched his career pressures (64.9 vs. 67), as reported by Josh Edwards of CBS Sports. It proves the development he enjoyed with the Red Raiders that boosted his draft stock.
Texas Tech General Manager James Blanchard attributed Bailey’s rise to the work of McGuire and defensive coordinator Shiel Wood.
“You’ll see the same if you dive into Romello Height. A lot of people talk about scheme and development, Joey McGuire and Shiel Wood don’t just talk it, they show it/live it. #WreckEm #TrueStory,” Blanchard tweeted.
Height’s college journey spanned six seasons at four programs. He began at Auburn before transferring to USC, then Georgia Tech, and finally Texas Tech, where he had a standout 2025 season. Blanchard’s praise for Height’s growth under McGuire and Wood is backed by the numbers, as Height had 10 sacks last season, more than the 6.5 he recorded in his previous five years combined.
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Height formed a dominant duo with Bailey on Texas Tech’s defensive front, also generating more pressures (53.2 in 2025 vs. 49.4) and more quarterback hits (21 in 2025 vs. 20). He ended the season ranked No. 16 nationally among EDGE players in the PFSN College Football EDGE Impact Metric with a score of 82.4.
As for Bailey, his career-best numbers and top-tier pass-rushing performance have established him as one of the premier defenders in college football. All of this occurred in Wood’s first season at Texas Tech, with credit given to McGuire.
“It’s a tremendous undertaking, getting a first-year defensive staff on the same page and tying it in with our players,” Wood said (via Yahoo Sports). “I think it starts with the leadership of Joey McGuire. It’s an extremely positive environment to walk into every day.
“He does a tremendous job of being the same individual, a consistent leader that guys know what to expect. They know what they’re getting from him, and he really creates an environment that’s fun to work in every day.”
Besides Bailey’s outstanding Texas Tech career, he demonstrated how to leverage the NFL Combine to elevate his draft stock. His explosive performance has placed him firmly among the top edge prospects.
Bailey ran a 4.50 40-yard dash (faster than Cromartie’s 4.52), recorded a 1.62 10-yard split (quicker than Adams’ 1.64), recorded a 35″ vertical (higher than A.J. Green’s 34.5″), and weighed more than Von Miller (251 vs. 246 lbs).
