Jets Snag Bailey, Defense Terrorizes AFC East

0:00It's April 24th. This is NFL News Today, AI-powered stories from around the league. I'm Corey with the story. The New York Jets just snag Texas Tech-Edger Usher David Bailey with the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This guy is a straight monster on defense, lighting up college ball in his one year with the Red Raiders. First edge off the board, and he's the fourth first rounder from Texas Tech in the last 10 years, right behind names like Patrick Mahomes. Bailey balled out in 2025, finishing second in the country with 81 pressures, 19.5 tackles for loss and tied for. The lead with 14.5 sacks, per pro football focus. He powered that Texas Tech defense to their first big 12 title and a spot in the college football playoff, earning consensus first team. All American honors, Lombardi finalists nods, and big 12 defensive linemen of the year. After dominating Lubbock, Bailey spent three seasons at Stanford, ramping up his sacks

1:00every year and leading the Cardinal in that stat plus tackles. For loss and forced fumbles in 2024, he hit the transfer portal last spring after a coaching change and never looked back. Scouts rave about his quick twitch explosion off the line, that sprinter speed building power, to wreck quarterbacks, plus better run defense this year. Big 12 coaches call it his superpower, stopping on a dime then exploding with violence that tackles can't match. Bailey slots right in as a versatile jet starter, bringing disruption to league fears, and this pick sets them up to terrorize the AFC East for years.