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 No. 1 nationally and has turned the Red Raiders’ defensive front into a problem opposing offensive coordinators can’t solve. Texas Tech’s defense earned a PFSN College Defense Impact Score of 95.6, fourth in the nation, and Bailey is the main reason why.
How David Bailey transformed Texas Tech’s defense
Bailey hasn’t just produced 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 are tied for third nationally and his 13 quarterback hits match the team high.
Consistency is important because it keeps offensive coordinators accountable at every turn, creating individual opportunities for teammates and allowing defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter to increase pressure from different angles.
Texas Tech’s defense ranked first nationally in rushing yards allowed per game and second in yards allowed per carry, two metrics directly related to Bailey’s ability to take advantage and collapse the pocket.
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When offenses attempted to establish the run, Bailey blew up the play himself or forced the ball carrier through the teeth of the defense. When they passed, he generated pressure at a rate few rushers in the country could match, recording 28 total pressures according to TruMedia.
The Red Raiders finished third nationally in completion 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 has made him a game-changing player, the guy who can single-handedly end drives and reverse 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 right away, earning true freshman All-American honors after making 46 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
He spent three seasons developing his technique and understanding how to win at the point of attack, but Stanford’s scheme and casting 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 passer with his combination of speed and curvature.
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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 larger trend: The top six rushers according to PFSN’s impact score are all transfers, highlighting how the portal has reshaped the pass rusher market 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-built team can compete with anyone in the playoffs.
Texas Tech’s path to a national title runs through its defense, and the defense runs through Bailey. The Red Raiders’ ability to survive the playoff challenge depends on being able to replicate their regular-season dominance against elite offensive lines and quarterbacks who have seen it all. If he does, Texas Tech’s confidence in itself is not only justified, it is earned.
