2026 Draft: EDGE

[mayoclinic]

I don't fully understand how the transfer process works in terms of academics.

Universities have graduation requirements, which are independent of NCAA eligibility. If you transfer from school to school each year, IF you care about graduating then you need to figure out how to transfer credit and meet degree requirements.

Many top athletes probably don't care, they make millions through NIL and pro football, a degree means nothing to them.

Stanford is a top 5 US University, on a par with Oxbridge.

David Bailey was apparently smart enough to graduate from Stanford, get his degree, still have a year of NCAA eligibility, transfer to Texas tech and make $3M this year, and position himself to be a top-15 draft picks.

That is one smart dude.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I don't fully understand how the transfer process works in terms of academics.

Universities have graduation requirements, which are independent of NCAA eligibility. If you transfer from school to school each year, IF you care about graduating then you need to figure out how to transfer credit and meet degree requirements.

Many top athletes probably don't care, they make millions through NIL and pro football, a degree means nothing to them.

Stanford is a top 5 US University, on a par with Oxbridge.

David Bailey was apparently smart enough to graduate from Stanford, get his degree, still have a year of NCAA eligibility, transfer to Texas tech and make $3M this year, and position himself to be a top-15 draft picks.

That is one smart dude.

Degree requirements for football players at Stanford are lower. The football players have special tutors, special tests, certain "football" classes, etc. Bailey is smarter than the average football guy, but NOTHING like Oxford or Cambridge.

There is Holy Cross in Worcester MA who used to be a great sports school sending guys to the NBA and NFL. Holy Cross decided 50 years ago to not admit lower standards for athletes so today they are Div. III because of their admission standards.

 

[mayoclinic]

Degree requirements at Stanford are the same for everyone. You can take an easier path (anyone can) and still graduate, but you still have to complete a major to graduate. There are no specific "football" classes.

 

[mayoclinic]

https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2025/08/29/texas-tech-football-david-bailey-transfer-stanford-football/85778662007/

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Degree requirements at Stanford are the same for everyone. You can take an easier path (anyone can) and still graduate, but you still have to complete a major to graduate. There are no specific "football" classes.

Of course. And there are no football tutors. And no makeup tests. Wink, wink.

 

[mayoclinic]

Do you have any personal experience at Stanford?

I went there (a long time ago), knew plenty of smart student athletes, who worked hard. Took classes with some (no special classes), studied with a few, never knew the football players. Never knew any at Stanford who had tutors, knew of some at other schools.

Cameron Fleming, an OL 2014 4th round Pats pick from Stanford, was an astrophysics major. Apparently no one told him that there were special classes, tests, and homework.

Bailey could probably have coasted through Stanford, not graduated, made millions. But he was in position to graduate and still transfer with NCAA eligibility. That tells me that he is smart and a hard worker, who plans ahead, traits which may add to his undeniable athletic ability.

Or you can just make fun of it without knowing anything. You come across like an ignorant, stuck up jerk.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Do you have any personal experience at Stanford?

I went there (a long time ago), knew plenty of smart student athletes, who worked hard. Took classes with some (no special classes), studied with a few, never knew the football players. Never knew any at Stanford who had tutors, knew of some at other schools.

Cameron Fleming, an OL 2014 4th round Pats pick from Stanford, was an astrophysics major. Apparently no one told him that there were special classes, tests, and homework.

Bailey could probably have coasted through Stanford, not graduated, made millions. But he was in position to graduate and still transfer with NCAA eligibility. That tells me that he is smart and a hard worker, who plans ahead, traits which may add to his undeniable athletic ability.

Or you can just make fun of it without knowing anything. You come across like an ignorant, stuck up jerk.

All the schools in the USA are the same. Even Harvard for example has a limited number of athletic scholarships that include lower admission standards, but far fewer slots than a Div. 1 school. I was a tutor as a junior and senior at my college for the incoming basketball guys. My son was best friends with the Michigan football guys. My daughter was admitted to Boston College because the coach was shocked she didn't need any special input from him to get admission (he can only request admission exceptions for a limited amount of girls). So Bailey (was it Bailey?) could be a genuinely really smart guy, but the Stanford graduation is no indication of that. You have to look at his transcript to see his degree subject and which classes he took.

The only difference is the number of slots available at a lower admission standard, and how low the reduced admission standard is. We had one of our top basketball players that was dumber than a box of rocks (another English phrase for your pleasure).

At any university there are a lot of electives. The athletes are told which electives to take (easy classes with sympathetic professors). They all get tutors if they want one or are falling behind. Commonly the team is traveling so they are provided with make up tests. If the schools don't do this they can not compete athletically. Really smart people are rarely great athletes.

Look at the athletics at Cambridge and Oxford - LOL. Didn't The English Game outline the introduction of football in England? Do you think the guys at Eton could compete at football in England today? Do you think British football players graduated from Eton? It is very rare to find an outstanding athlete that is a great scholar.

 

[manxman2601]

Look at the athletics at Cambridge and Oxford - LOL. Didn't The English Game outline the introduction of football in England? Do you think the guys at Eton could compete at football in England today? Do you think British football players graduated from Eton? It is very rare to find an outstanding athlete that is a great scholar.

I can't comment on the Stanford stuff but I can on this. We just don't have the same collegiate sport system that you guys do. In fact, a number of our Olympians go to US colleges to get access to that system.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I can't comment on the Stanford stuff but I can on this. We just don't have the same collegiate sport system that you guys do. In fact, a number of our Olympians go to US colleges to get access to that system.

That is right. And without the exceptions like the USA Universities have, there is no professional sports feeding funnel in England. That indirectly proves that the exceptions in the USA are significant - a Stanford athletic degree is not the same as a Stanford normal degree except for a few exceptions.

You might have noticed that once in a while the USA sports announcers say, "and he (meaning a professional player) graduated with an engineering degree". They say that because that player is one of the rare exceptions that did complete both top athletic and academic standards.

 

[manxman2601]

That is right. And without the exceptions like the USA Universities have, there is no professional sports feeding funnel in England. That indirectly proves that the exceptions in the USA are significant - a Stanford athletic degree is not the same as a Stanford normal degree except for a few exceptions.

You might have noticed that once in a while the USA sports announcers say, "and he (meaning a professional player) graduated with an engineering degree". They say that because that player is one of the rare exceptions that did complete both top athletic and academic standards.

Bailey graduated with a Science, Technology and Science degree. That's either good or it's one of those aggregation degrees that are more meaningless.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Bailey graduated with a Science, Technology and Science degree. That's either good or it's one of those aggregation degrees that are more meaningless.

It was Science, Technology, and Society (autocorrect might have got you). Does not sound too bad, but adding "and society" means it is clearly not a top degree.

 

[Clonamery]

Degree requirements for football players at Stanford are lower. The football players have special tutors, special tests, certain "football" classes, etc. Bailey is smarter than the average football guy, but NOTHING like Oxford or Cambridge.

There is Holy Cross in Worcester MA who used to be a great sports school sending guys to the NBA and NFL. Holy Cross decided 50 years ago to not admit lower standards for athletes so today they are Div. III because of their admission standards.

When I was in College, Holy Cross would get many international soccer players (as would UConn). They would be very skilled but less athletic than what you would think of but I assumed they came for the education as well as the experience (sorta like the Irish distance runners going to Villanova and Providence College back in the day).

 

[Hammer of Thor]

All the schools in the USA are the same. Even Harvard for example has a limited number of athletic scholarships that include lower admission standards, but far fewer slots than a Div. 1 school. I was a tutor as a junior and senior at my college for the incoming basketball guys. My son was best friends with the Michigan football guys. My daughter was admitted to Boston College because the coach was shocked she didn't need any special input from him to get admission (he can only request admission exceptions for a limited amount of girls). So Bailey (was it Bailey?) could be a genuinely really smart guy, but the Stanford graduation is no indication of that. You have to look at his transcript to see his degree subject and which classes he took.

The only difference is the number of slots available at a lower admission standard, and how low the reduced admission standard is. We had one of our top basketball players that was dumber than a box of rocks (another English phrase for your pleasure).

At any university there are a lot of electives. The athletes are told which electives to take (easy classes with sympathetic professors). They all get tutors if they want one or are falling behind. Commonly the team is traveling so they are provided with make up tests. If the schools don't do this they can not compete athletically. Really smart people are rarely great athletes.

Look at the athletics at Cambridge and Oxford - LOL. Didn't The English Game outline the introduction of football in England? Do you think the guys at Eton could compete at football in England today? Do you think British football players graduated from Eton? It is very rare to find an outstanding athlete that is a great scholar.

Yup. I went to BC. I was shocked and excited when one of the core physics courses I signed up for happened to be the football team’s class. I got a perfect score on the final exam, and I’m not *that* smart. The class wasn’t an Alabama level remedial class, the athletes do have to have a certain amount of academic intelligence, but just saying they graduated doesn’t necessarily put them on par with other graduates from that school.

I loved that class because it was a huge lecture hall, yet the old German professor kept deciding to do roll call. And almost once a week, in a Ben-Stein-with-a-German-accent voice:
“Damien Woody? Damien Woody? Damien Woody?”
“He’s at practice!”

Whereas there was a star player on the baseball team who was a math major like me and knew his stuff better than me. So, again, ultimately varies on the individual.

 

[manxman2601]

A tip for scouting edge players?

 

[manxman2601]

A tip for scouting edge players?

I keep coming back to Anto Saka.

1. He fits the Vrabel size/weight profile almost perfectly.

2. He has the 2nd fastest forty of all the edge prospects over 250lbs (behind David Bailey).

3. From his scouting report re speed

"Generates explosive get-off that puts tackles on their heels immediately"

4. From his scouting report re 'plays hard'

"Displays nasty hand violence through his chops and swipes that can completely displace an offensive lineman's punch"

5. From his scouting report re "tries to finish"

"Demonstrates relentless motor in pursuit, making backside plays that most edge rushers never sniff"

He hasn't been a full time player all year so a DPR which is the knock on him. However, his pass rush win percentages are on par with Zion Young and Romello Height.

I'm still Team Mesidor who certainly fits the last two parts of Vrabel's 3 things he liked about Chaisson and although he's not fast, he does have an elite get off and is a better run defender than Saka.

 

[manxman2601]

 

[manxman2601]

I'm just watching McShay and he says Rueben Bain is a polarising guy with some scouts saying his lack of sack production is a concern. He even says one scout told him "if you're looking for a pass rusher, Mesidor is the better guy. I think the pass production is going to translate to the NFL".

He says there are teams that consider Bailey the better pass rusher and might value him higher than Bain depending on what they're looking for.

Says don't discount R Mason Thomas as a first rounder

 

[mayoclinic]

Can definitely see that.

Bain will likely have short arms and his testing won't be elite.

But he is a dog.

 

[manxman2601]

David Bailey arm length! Height isn't going in the first two rounds with those measurements.

Couple Texas Tech DL notes:

There are no verified measurements on Top-15 draft pick David Bailey due to him transferring from Stanford during the spring. Was told that he’s playing at 247 pounds after showing up to Tech at 255. Scouts estimate arm length to be somewhere between 34-35 inches.

Romello Height: verified 6’2 1/4”, 228 pounds, 32 1/4” arms. Now up into the mid 230s.

Lee Hunter: verified 6’3 1/2”, 330 pounds, 33 1/8” arms.

Skyler Gill-Howard: verified 5’11 7/8”, 291 pounds, 30 5/8” arms.

 

[hornetfb85]

Here’s how I want our Edge depth chart to work out:
1. Landry - not explosive but a solid edge guy
2. Re-sign Chaisson or a free agent replacement
3. High draft pick (1st/2nd round) - Focus on Pass Rush ability
4. Ponder
5. Swinson/Murphy

Personally feel Chaisson is the best option from a familiarity and age standpoint. Also think he will be sought after. Phillips, Oweh, Mafe and Paye could be some options. Dont think they’ll go after Hendrickson, Mack or Bosa.

In the draft I want a pass rusher. David Bailey, Cashius Howell, Joshua Joseph’s and R Mason Thomas would fit that spot

Like Ponder and Swinson (hearing Coach speak that he’s progressing) as the #4/#5