NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah dropped his 2026 NFL mock draft 3.0 on Tuesday, having the New Orleans Saints selecting Texas Tech EDGE rusher David Bailey with the 8th overall pick.
Bailey was ultra productive in 2025, logging 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. That wasn’t it for Bailey, who would go on to combine his production with an incredible combine performance. The Texas Tech pass rusher ran a 4.5 40-yard dash, 10’9” broad jump, and had a 35” vertical, displaying his freak athleticism.
Bailey has been projected as high as the 2nd overall pick since the draft process has continued. While the hype for the 6-foot-4 pass rusher has fallen a bit, he remains an incredibly interesting prospect to keep an eye on.
Part of Bailey’s fall to 8th in Jeremiah’s mock draft was the emergence of Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, both players who have often been mocked to New Orleans. With a lot of movement at the top of the draft, a talented player is bound to fall into the Saints’ lap.
New Orleans has a desperate need for a pass rusher as well. Chase Young has developed into one of the league’s most underrated edge rushers, but the Saints are losing plenty of talent on defense to free agency, including longtime edge rusher Cameron Jordan.
New Orleans has focused on building its offense this offseason, opening the window for the draft to lean more towards building Brandon Staley’s defense. Drafting the best player available at all times of the NFL Draft is the way to go, and Jeremiah does just that with Bailey falling to the Saints in his mock draft. With a desperate need as a pass rusher and a top-10 draft pick, David Bailey is the perfect candidate to be New Orleans’ selection at 8th overall, if he’s still available.
