With the New York Jets picking David Bailey in the 2026 NFL Draft with the second overall pick, there's no denying that fans are interested to see how the team ends up using the defensive stud. As the Jets prepare for the season after the 2026 NFL Draft, head coach Aaron Glenn has revealed how Bailey will be used with the team.
Bailey is known to be a jack-of-all-trades defensive star, playing either as an edge rusher or as a linebacker, which is the same thinking that Glenn will use. Bailey will be an outside linebacker in 3-4, while being an edge player in 4-3, per Zack Rosenblatt.
“Aaron Glenn said David Bailey will be an outside linebacker in 3-4 and a defensive end in 4-3,” Rosenblatt wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Friday saw Bailey officially sign his rookie contract after coming out of Texas Tech, with the second overall pick making him the highest defensive player selected by New York.
“I feel like I improved on my understanding of the game as a whole, my football IQ, and then obviously my pass rushing ability, too,” Bailey said, via the team's website.
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Jets' Aaron Glenn on the best traits of David Bailey
There's no denying the athletic ability that Bailey has, making him in line to be a defensive centerpiece for the Jets moving forward, as Glenn is no doubt excited about the traits he possesses.
“Just first-step quickness, and that's obvious when you watch the tape,” Glenn said. “The way he's able to beat tackles around the edge, but don't take him for a guy that can just rush with speed around the edge. There are several long-armed, there are several power things that he's done within his game that allows him to be able to show that he can rush for power. So, listen, we're going to try to unlock everything that he can. Obviously, we have some really good coaches that are going to be able to help him. Man, we're really excited about that player.”
It remains to be seen how Bailey will play in his rookie year with New York.
With the New York Jets picking David Bailey in the 2026 NFL Draft with the second overall pick, there's no denying that fans are interested to see how the team ends up using the defensive stud. As the Jets prepare for the season after the 2026 NFL Draft, head coach Aaron Glenn has revealed how Bailey will be used with the team.