{"id":115944,"date":"2026-01-08T20:31:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T20:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/115944\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T20:31:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T20:31:09","slug":"see-where-david-bailey-other-texas-tech-prospects-are-projected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/115944\/","title":{"rendered":"See where David Bailey, other Texas Tech prospects are projected"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a disappointing finish to a historic season<\/a>, Texas Tech\u2019s star defensive players and a few offensive starters have moved on to preparing for the NFL draft.<\/p>\n

The Red Raiders are in for a season of change, as they are losing Chuck Bednarik Award winner Jacob Rodriguez<\/a>, the nation\u2019s top edge rusher duo and their starting quarterback. This looks to be the most-talented group of draft-eligible Red Raiders in years.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the top prospects are lining up on NFL draft boards:<\/p>\n

David Bailey, senior EDGE<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s been a few years since Texas Tech sniffed the first round of the NFL draft. EDGE Tyree Wilson went seventh overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023<\/a>. Bailey has the tape to go around the same spot. The need for EDGE starts at the fourth overall pick with the Tennessee Titans, but Bailey is competing with Ohio State EDGE\/LB Arvell Reese to be the first defender taken off the board. <\/p>\n

Expected range: Top-15 selection<\/p>\n

\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas Tech defensive end Romello Height (9) recovers a fumble during the second half of the Big 12 Championship football game against BYU at AT&T Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Arlington. Texas Tech defeated BYU 34-7.<\/p>\n

El\u00edas Valverde II \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Romello Height, redshirt senior EDGE<\/p>\n

Bailey\u2019s hype this season may have overshadowed his counterpart slightly. Height wasn\u2019t known for his ability to get to the quarterback heading into the season, but he finished with 10 sacks, which was 4.5 fewer than Bailey\u2019s nation-leading total. ESPN\u2019s Mel Kiper Jr. left Height out of his top-10 outside linebackers, but other analysts have slotted him in as early as the Dallas Cowboys\u2019 second pick at No. 25.<\/p>\n

Expected range: Rounds 1-2<\/p>\n

Lee Hunter, redshirt senior defensive tackle<\/p>\n

The 6-4, 325-pound interior defensive lineman comes in at No. 5 on Kiper\u2019s positional rankings. Three of the four names ahead of him end up on most analysts\u2019 first-round mock drafts, leaving Hunter as a projected top-50 pick heading into Day 2. His NFL combine numbers in the three cone drill can only help him, as his in-game speed has been a positive point of discussion for his future. Defensive tackle tends to be a team-interest position, meaning big boards don\u2019t always matter, so if a defensive coordinator falls in love with what he can offer, Hunter could be the first defender off the board on Day 2.<\/p>\n

Expected range: Rounds 2-3<\/p>\n

Jacob Rodriguez, redshirt senior linebacker<\/p>\n

Since 2016, all but one Chuck Bednarik Award winner has been drafted outside of the first round. NC State\u2019s Payton Wilson, who was drafted 98th overall in 2024, is the lone outlier. Wilson fell in the draft for medical concerns. Rodriguez, despite winning four of the major defensive awards in 2025, is falling because of his size. A Dec. 15 scouting report by Bleacher Report said Rodriguez lacks NFL-size at 6-1 and 235 pounds and below-average arm length. Regardless, Rodriguez has shown a high IQ for the game and will be a steal for whichever team selects him.<\/p>\n

Expected range: Rounds 2-4 <\/p>\n

\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas Tech wide receiver Reggie Virgil (1) carries the ball during the first half of the Big 12 Championship football game against the BYU at AT&T Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Arlington.<\/p>\n

Chitose Suzuki \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Reggie Virgil, senior wide receiver <\/p>\n

Standing at 6-4 and 190 pounds, Virgil is a prototypical boundary receiver with stats from his stops at Miami (Ohio) and Texas Tech to warrant being drafted. His straight-line speed and contested catch ability have proven to be his top attributes. However, he and the rest of Tech\u2019s wide receivers had diminished roles in the biggest games this season against Oregon. Virgil finished as the leading receiver in both BYU matchups.<\/p>\n

Expected range: Round 3<\/p>\n

Cole Wisniewski, super-senior safety<\/p>\n

If there was a player who improved his chances of being drafted the most by coming to Texas Tech, it\u2019s Wisniewski. The former North Dakota State University star was an FCS All-American in 2023 before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him for the 2024 season. Although NDSU has produced NFL talent, his move to Texas Tech put his talents on a much bigger platform. Although 2025 was his sixth year in college, Wisniewski\u2019s game IQ outweighs any age concerns a team may have. <\/p>\n

Expected range: Rounds 3-5<\/p>\n

\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton (2) looks to pass during the first half of the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo\/Rebecca Blackwell)<\/p>\n

Rebecca Blackwell \/ AP<\/p>\n

Behren Morton, redshirt senior quarterback<\/p>\n

Texas Tech\u2019s 23-0 loss in the Orange Bowl will taint a lot of Morton\u2019s film in the coming months. Some scouts will call it an outlier, while others will see the recurring struggles Morton faces in big games as a glaring red flag. Regardless, Morton\u2019s draft stock depends more on availability than talent. ESPN\u2019s Holly Rowe reported that Morton was playing with a hairline fracture in his fibula during the 2025 season, which stemmed from multiple leg injuries sustained near the start of the season. Morton finished out the year, but the fifth-year quarterback has already had shoulder surgery, dealt with tricep strains, entered concussion protocol multiple times and had issues with his throwing hand. <\/p>\n

Expected range: Round 5-undrafted<\/p>\n

Caleb Douglas, senior wide receiver<\/p>\n

Douglas was another victim of unfavorable play-calling during Texas Tech\u2019s biggest games, but his size at 6-4, 210 pounds should be enough to justify him as a competitive third or fourth receiver. He had a nearly identical season in 2024, with no major statistical improvements, and his role remained as a WR2 to a faster wide receiver. Douglas\u2019 biggest point of improvement from last season is his route tree. It\u2019s evident through tape that offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich added a handful of new routes to Douglas\u2019 arsenal, which will be critical in pre-draft interviews and workouts.<\/p>\n

Expected range: Rounds 5-6<\/p>\n

Davion Carter, senior guard<\/p>\n

Local media who have covered Carter since he arrived at Tech have heard about his IQ. Teammates have told stories of 1-on-1 film sessions with Carter, noting his ability to dissect every part of the play. Carter\u2019s downside is his size. He stands at 6-0 and 295 pounds with short arms, which have not proven to hinder his game beyond being overpowered by top-end talent. Thus, he will more than likely slide to the back end of Day 3.<\/p>\n

Expected range: Rounds 6-7<\/p>\n

2026 NCAA football transfer portal: Tracking moves for Texas Tech, SMU, other area schools<\/a>College football has a dirty little secret, and it\u2019s not what you think<\/a><\/p>\n

Find more Texas Tech coverage from The Dallas Morning News here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After a disappointing finish to a historic season, Texas Tech\u2019s star defensive players and a few offensive starters…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":115945,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7092,3688,27,29,28,415],"class_list":{"0":"post-115944","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-texas","8":"tag-behren-morton","9":"tag-colleges","10":"tag-texas","11":"tag-texas-headlines","12":"tag-texas-news","13":"tag-texas-tech-red-raiders"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115944"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115944\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}