Jets fans instantly given a reason to love David Bailey: 'tornado of a pass rusher'

The New York Jets kicked their 2026 Draft off by selecting edge defender David Bailey with the second-overall pick. It was no secret the franchise was going defense with its first pick, it was just a matter of which defender. The Jets ultimately landed the best pass rusher in the draft by selecting Bailey.

FanSided draft expert Mike Luciano had high praise for Bailey, referring to the young defender as a “tornado of a pass rusher.” The analyst argued that the second-overall pick was the most consistently disruptive pass rusher in college football last season, and that’s why he was the first defender off the board. Considering the value of pass rushers in today’s NFL, Bailey is exactly what the Jets need.

"Bailey is a tornado of a pass rusher that was perhaps the most consistently disrputive end in college football last season. He flies off the snap and closes down on the quarterback as well as anyone, and with solid length, he is able to set the edge at a passable level. However, he is likely never going to be a great run defender, so teams that run a 4-3 scheme might need to ask themselves if they feel comfortable asking him to put his hand in the dirt."

Mike Luciano (FanSided)

Jets land arguably the best pass rusher in the 2026 Draft by selecting David Bailey

Luciano highlights that Bailey isn’t that strong of a run defender, so that’s an area that he will have to improve during his time in the NFL. While everyone loves pass rushers, you have to earn the opportunity to pin your ears back and rush the passer in the league.

The way that’s earned is by taking care of business on first and second down. If the Jets' defense can do that, Bailey should be able to immediately demonstrate his pass-rushing abilities.

Joining New York during Aaron Glenn’s second season, the young defender will be an important building block for the defensive-minded head coach.

Additionally, Bailey has a sense of familiarity with the Jets, as three of the coaches who were on staff at Stanford when Bailey played there are now in New York. While, those three coaches are all on the offensive side of the ball, they understand how disruptive Bailey can be.

David Bailey will now bring that disruption to the New York Jets.

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