Stanford transfer edge David Bailey commits to Texas Tech

Stanford transfer edge defender David Bailey has committed to Texas Tech, On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported on Friday evening. The 6-3, 250-pound edge defender racked up 111 total tackles, 14.5 sacks, and seven forced fumbles in three years with the Cardinal. He was ranked as the No. 3 player in the transfer portal, according to the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings.

Texas Tech won a hard-fought battle for his services. According to Pro Football Focus, he led all edge defenders last season with a 93.3 pass rush grade. The Cardinal finished with a disappointing 3-9 overall record this year, ranking them 14th in the ACC.

His decision to jump into the portal came just days after Stanford decided to fire head coach Troy Taylor. Taylor’s firing comes in the middle of March and seven days away from spring practice, opening the 30-day transfer portal for Stanford players. A former four-star recruit, Bailey was an On3 True Freshman All-American in 2022.

Bailey was Stanford’s highest graded defender this past season, according to Pro Football Focus. He was touted as the No. 1 pass rush win rate in the nation last season and also ranked in the top 10 in impact and havoc rates.

The EDGE defender held offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Michigan and USC, among others, but picked Stanford for the education. In the last two years, Bailey was high on boards as a target to get in the transfer portal, but he stayed loyal to the Cardinal initially. Now with a degree in hand, he will be a top portal target for multiple programs.

Bailey was even viewed as a potential 2025 NFL draft prospect, but was viewed as a late-round pick. Now he will return to college and prove his value to the NFL at a new school.

On3’s Pete Nakos also contributed to this article.