Few would doubt the athletic skills of the Jets' rookie edge [David Bailey](/team/players-roster/david-bailey/), the No. 2 overall selection in this year's NFL Draft.
And when it comes to his brainpower, there should be no doubt that Bailey has the potential to be the total package for the Green & White for years to come. Bailey graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Science, Technology and Society from prestigious Stanford University in three years before transferring to Texas Tech for his final standout season, where he was enrolled in graduate school.
"He's really twitchy and I want to claim him from Stanford more than Tech," Bailey's teammate and fellow Stanford graduate [Harrison Phillips](/team/players-roster/harrison-phillips/) said. "I've really liked what he can do as an athlete on the field, not just with his hand down in the dirt, but the different varieties you can do with somebody who can also run and change direction at an elite level."
What he can do as an athlete on the field was displayed in his lone season with the Red Raiders.
Bailey (6-3, 251) set personal bests in 2025 with 14.5 sacks and 19.5 TFL. He was credited with 81 pressures according to Pro Football Focus, which was the second-highest total in the FBS. After the season, Bailey was named a first-team All-American and the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.
As good as Bailey played last season and as high as the expectations are for a top draft pick, there's plenty of room for growth.
"I think time will tell," veteran LB Demario Davis said. "There's a reason why you're the No. 2 draft pick. He was the most dominant pass rusher in the draft and I think when you can get a guy like that and you're sound in other areas, it takes a lot of weight off of him where he can do what he does best, which is be able to get after the pass rush. Playing for a defensive line coach like Karl Dunbar, he's not going to accept you just being a one-way player."