Texas Tech 34, BYU 7
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The 2026 NFL Draft is not a particularly strong class of talent, but one prospect that has real buzz is David Bailey. The Stanford transfer was superb this season with 12.5 sacks. Bailey was active, flying around the field, but he did not have splash plays in the Big 12 Championship Game.
In the first half, Bailey showed some speed getting upfield and putting pressure on the quarterback, but he was quiet overall. Texas Tech also controlled the time of possession, and Bailey did not have a lot of opportunities. In the third quarter, Bailey destroyed a screen by flying into the backfield and getting a hit on the quarterback to force a third-down incompletion. Bailey showed good speed to get upfield, and consistent turnovers from BYU kept Bailey on the sideline.
For the NFL, Bailey is a fast and athletic speed rusher, but he is undersized. Bailey (6-3, 250) shows explosion off the snap with the speed to turn the corner and eat up ground in a hurry. While Bailey is not big or powerful, he can generate enough speed and power to knock back blockers. Bailey also shows flexibility to rush from a variety of spots. He can stand over a blocker or put his hand in the ground. Bailey fights and competes in the ground game nicely on some plays, but he has limitations for the NFL, given his size. Teams like the Detroit Lions, which are looking for a base end who is big, strong, and a tough run defender who can set the edge, will not be high on Bailey. Other teams, like the Dallas Cowboys, who like ultra-fast twitchy edge rushers, will like Bailey.
