With the No. 4 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has the Tennessee Titans selecting David Bailey, edge defender, Texas Tech.

Bailey, the unanimous All-America outside linebacker who led college football with 14.5 sacks in 2025, is one of four pass rush specialists who’s getting hype as a potential top-10 pick in the months before April’s draft. Along with Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., and Auburn’s Keldric Faulk, Bailey is one of the star prospects at one of the Titans‘ areas of greatest need, and Kiper sees a convenient fit.

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“Tennessee is going to be focused on two things this offseason: getting quarterback Cam Ward more help and improving the defense,” Kiper wrote. “It’s a tough call on which direction the Titans will go here, but let’s follow the board while also knowing new coach Robert Saleh is a defense guy. Bailey was outstanding this past season. His stats tell the story: 14.5 sacks, 20.2% pressure rate, 23 tackles for loss ― and all at least tied for a share of first in the FBS. Pairing Bailey with defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons on the D-line could be a big step in the right direction.”

Kiper has Reese coming off the board at No. 2 to the New York Jets. Bailey is the next defensive player selected in his mock draft, with quarterback Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders and tackle Francis Mauigoa landing at No. 3 to the Arizona Cardinals. Bain ends up being picked No. 7 by the Washington Commanders and Faulk lands at No. 11 to the Miami Dolphins.

If the Titans don’t go defense, Kiper suggests another path the team can take.

“As for offense,” Kiper writes, “this is a pretty deep class of pass catchers. But if Saleh decides Ward’s supporting cast is the first-round priority no matter what, then I’d expect Ohio State’s Carnell Tate to get some attention here.”

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Tate is one of six receivers who Kiper projects to be picked in the first round, a group that also includes Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, USC’s Makai Lemon, Washington’s Denzel Boston, Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II and Georgia’s Zachariah Branch.

Who is David Bailey, projected Titans first-round pick?

Bailey started his college career at Stanford, where he played three seasons from 2022-24. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Bailey logged 14.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss across his three seasons in Palo Alto. He transferred to Texas Tech for the 2025 season and broke out on the Red Raiders’ dominant defensive front, including the aforementioned sacks, tackles for loss, plus 81 quarterback pressures, all of which led the FBS.

Kiper has Bailey ranked as the fifth-best player on his overall big board behind Mendoza, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Tate and Reese. Bailey ranks as the ninth-best player on the consensus big board, which combines the opinions of significant player rankings and mock drafts from across the media.

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Bailey put up big numbers in many of Texas Tech’s marquee games in 2025. He logged at least four pressures in games against Utah, Houston and Kansas State, as well as both matchups against BYU and the Red Raiders’ College Football Playoff loss against Oregon. He primarily lined up as a stand-up outside linebacker, as opposed to Reese who spent more of his time as an off-ball linebacker and Bain who primarily played with his hand down.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at  nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: In Mel Kiper mock draft, is it edge rusher or wide receiver for Titans?