On Thursday night, the New York Jets made three selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, including Texas Tech’s David Bailey with the No. 2 overall pick.

Whilst the vast majority of Jets X-Factor viewed Arvell Reese as the clear pick, the Jets’ selection of Bailey isn’t a “fire everyone” type of pick. Keep in mind, this is the same player who led the FBS in sacks (14.5) and pressures (73) last season.

The main concern, though, lies in his run defense. His college tape does not show a player with the chops to be a three-down EDGE in the NFL in his rookie season, largely because of his struggles against the run.

While he is widely regarded as the more NFL-ready pass rusher than Reese, his game still needs refinement in multiple critical areas, particularly as a run defender.

The good news? He will be working with one of the league’s top defensive line coaches.

How Karl Dunbar can help David Bailey

Karl Dunbar is one of the top defensive line coaches in the NFL. Over eight seasons as the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line coach, Dunbar oversaw a unit that led the NFL with 392 sacks, helping to establish one of the league’s most dominant front fours.

More importantly, his track record of development is highly impressive. Aside from turning T.J. Watt into a Defensive Player of the Year, he has a knack for getting the most out of his edge rushers. Take a player like Alex Highsmith, a third-round pick who developed under Dunbar and produced 45 sacks in six years under his coaching.

Without a doubt, Bailey is the most polished pass-rusher in this year’s draft class. The question now is whether his run defense can develop to the point where he can be a three-down player.

If you take a player at No. 2 overall, you’re hoping he can contribute in every way possible. At the moment, it is difficult to see Bailey remaining on the field for all three downs and fitting into a base defensive package.

He has the pass-rushing chops, but will he be able to develop into a plus run-defender? That’s where the Jets hope Dunbar can make a franchise-altering difference.