We are two months away from NFL Draft night. This is no longer about mock drafts filling airtime or anonymous rumors bouncing around the internet. This is decision time.
For David Bailey, that changes the feel of everything.
Mater Dei High School has built its reputation on quarterbacks. Bryce Young. Matt Leinart. Matt Barkley. The program has produced many star quarterbacks. But over the years, other positions have emerged. Amon Ra St. Brown is now a centerpiece for the Detroit Lions, and Bailey could represent the next chapter, a disruptive defender with legitimate top ten potential.
Eight weeks out, the conversations hit differently. Draft boards are being tightened, not expanded. Coaches are going back through cut ups late at night. General managers are asking themselves one more time whether the traits they love on Saturdays will hold up on Sundays. And Bailey’s name keeps finding its way into those top tier discussions.
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NFL Network draft analyst Lance Zierlein did not dress it up.
“I can use an abundance of flowery language, but the bottom line is this-he’s extremely hard for linemen to stay in front of. Bailey moves like a slashing two guard, blending explosiveness and fluidity to slip, bend and flow around blocks from multiple angles.”
When asked for a comparison, Zierlein did not hesitate.
“I liken him to Nik Bonitto. He has the natural rush instincts and explosive take off.”
Bonitto built his name at Oklahoma before carving out his place with the Denver Broncos, earning respect with burst and bend off the edge. That is the type of company Bailey is being placed in.
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Two months from now, the speculation disappears. There will be a phone call that changes a life. Bailey is trending toward hearing his name called earlier than many once thought.
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