David Bailey spent three years at Stanford building a foundation, but it wasn’t until he transferred to Texas Tech that he became the player capable of carrying a defense to the College Football Playoff.
The senior edge rusher leads the FBS with 13.5 sacks, posted a 92.9 PFSN College EDGE Impact score that ranks first nationally, and turned the Red Raiders’ defensive front into a problem opposing offensive coordinators can’t solve. Texas Tech’s defense earned a 95.6 PFSN College Defense Impact score, fourth in the nation, and Bailey is the primary reason why.
How David Bailey Transformed Texas Tech’s Defense
Bailey didn’t just produce at a high level. He produced consistently, recording a sack in 10 of the 13 games he played this season, including a three-sack performance against Kansas. His 17.5 tackles for loss tied for third nationally, and his 13 quarterback hits matched the team high.
The consistency matters because it forces offensive coordinators to account for him on every snap, creating one-on-one opportunities for his teammates and allowing defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter to dial up pressure from different angles.
Texas Tech’s defense ranked first nationally in rushing yards allowed per game and second in yards allowed per carry, both metrics tied directly to Bailey’s ability to set the edge and collapse the pocket.
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When offenses tried to establish the run, Bailey either blew up the play himself or forced the ball carrier into the teeth of the defense. When they passed, he generated pressure at a rate that few edge rushers in the country could match, recording 28 total pressures according to TruMedia.
The Red Raiders finished third nationally in success rate allowed and third in yards allowed per play, defensive efficiency numbers that directly correlate with Bailey’s disruptive presence. His ability to win on third down turned him into a game-changing player, the type who can single-handedly end drives and flip field position.
Texas Tech’s offense averaged over 40 points per game during the second half of the season, but it was the defense that separated the Red Raiders from other one-loss contenders in the playoff race.
Bailey’s Transfer From Stanford Unlocked his Ceiling
Bailey arrived at Stanford as a four-star recruit in 2022 and started immediately, earning true freshman All-American honors after posting 46 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
He spent three seasons building technique and understanding how to win at the point of attack, but Stanford’s scheme and supporting cast didn’t allow him to fully maximize his athletic profile.
Texas Tech offered something different: a defensive coordinator who understood how to deploy edge rushers, a supporting cast that could hold up in coverage, and an offense that could put the defense in advantageous situations.
The move to the Big 12 also put Bailey in a league where quarterbacks hold the ball longer, and offensive lines prioritize pass protection over physicality, creating more opportunities for a pass rusher with his combination of speed and bend.
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His 13.5 sacks rank second in program history for a single season behind only Brandon Sharpe’s 15 in 2009, and his 28 career sacks rank third among active FBS players.
Bailey’s success reflects a broader trend: the top six edge rushers by PFSN’s impact score are all transfers, underscoring how the portal has reshaped the market for pass rushers and allowed programs like Texas Tech to close the talent gap with traditional powers.
The Red Raiders built one of the most incredible transfer portal classes in the country, and Bailey was the headliner, the player who validated the investment and proved that a well-constructed roster can compete with anyone in the playoff.
Texas Tech’s path to a national title runs through its defense, and the defense runs through Bailey. Whether the Red Raiders can survive the playoff gauntlet depends on whether he can replicate his regular-season dominance against elite offensive lines and quarterbacks who’ve seen everything. If he does, Texas Tech’s belief in itself isn’t just justified, it’s earned.
