Teams Expect OT Francis Mauigoa To Need Back Surgery
Miami’s Francis Mauigoa has emerged as the draft’s top offensive tackle prospect, although suitors expect that the lineman will eventually have to go under the knife. As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, teams believe Mauigoa will require a cleanup procedure on his back.
This report follows the prospect’s evaluation at the Indianapolis medical recheck. Breer notes that the player is currently symptom-free, so perhaps Mauigoa can delay his impending surgery until next offseason. Either way, it sounds like something the player and his NFL team will have to navigate.
Breer adds that Mauigoa partly earned his reputation due to his durability, as he didn’t miss a single snap for the Hurricanes after joining the school as a true freshman. He finished his Miami career with his most decorated season in 2025, as the lineman earned a number of honors, including first-team All-ACC, a consensus All-American nod, and the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best blocker.
The six-foot-five, 329-pound prospect has been lauded by scouts for his (obvious) size and power. He’s expected to immediately be a dominant run blocker, although there are some questions about his pass-block ability. As a result, many draft pundits have assumed that Mauigoa is destined to play right tackle in the NFL. However, if a team used a top-10 selection on the Miami product, there’s a chance they’ll eventually see what he can do protecting the blind side.
Mauigoa is currently listed as the 10th-best prospect in the draft in NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah’s updated rankings. He’s gone as high as No. 3 to the Cardinals in several mock drafts, although the Giants (No. 5) and Browns (No. 6) have consistently been listed as the most common landing spots for the offensive tackle. While this recent revelation about a future surgery isn’t ideal, it probably won’t have any impact on the player’s draft stock.
Patriots Showing Interest In Guards
After spending the fourth overall pick on left tackle Will Campbell and a third-rounder on center Jared Wilson in the 2025 draft, the Patriots are expected to further address the offensive line this year. With the start of the draft 10 days away, the Patriots are eyeing guards. They will host Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon on a “30” visit, according to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports. The Patriots also wanted to fly in Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis for a visit, but “time constraints” prevented it from happening, per Pauline.
With the signing of former Jet Alijah Vera-Tucker to a three-year, $42MM contract, the Patriots made a significant investment at guard in free agency. Vera-Tucker will play left guard if healthy. The problem is that injuries have been a frequent issue for Vera-Tucker, who has missed 42 of 85 games since going in the first round of the 2021 draft. He sat out all of 2025 as a result of a torn triceps.
Even if Vera-Tucker has better luck with health in New England, the team has a long-term question at right guard. Michael Onwenu, who also carries significant experience at tackle, has been a full-time RG starter for the past year and a half. During a second straight 17-game season in 2025, Onwenu led Patriots offensive linemen in snap share (98.9%) and finished as Pro Football Focus’ eighth-ranked guard. The six-year veteran remains locked in at his position going into 2026, but it is the last season of his contract.
Considering the high cost of quality guards in free agency, Onwenu could price himself out of New England in a year. It would make sense to have a promising replacement like Pregnon or Bisontis waiting in the wings. Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks Bisontis 34th and Pregnon 57th among this year’s prospects. Bisontis is a potential first-rounder who has drawn plenty of interest leading up to the draft.
Including No. 31 in Round 1 and the 63rd overall selection in the second round, the Patriots will enter the draft with 11 picks. The reigning AFC champions may not use all of those choices, though. Rather, the team could attempt to use its haul of Day 3 picks to move up, Mike Reiss of ESPN reports. The Patriots have two fourth-rounders and four sixth-rounders, which should give them the ammo to move up if they covet a certain player.
NFC North Notes: Ragnow, Bears, Packers
The Lions continued their practice of recouping money from retired players’ signing bonuses by asking for some of Frank Ragnow‘s. The former Pro Bowl center is believed to have paid back part of $3MM, the maximum number the team could collect in this case, according to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. The Lions famously proceeded this way with Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, alienating both following their earlier-than-expected retirements. Detroit having done this with all-time greats made the team refuse to make an exception for Ragnow, who retired last summer — before a failed comeback attempt.
“Our precedent goes all the way back to Barry Sanders,” team president Rod Wood said, via Birkett. “And if Barry Sanders paid back money. … And I think the reality is, they’re not paying back their money, they’re returning our money. Cause they were paid in advance for services that they hadn’t completed.”
Teams are within their rights to ask for signing bonus money back after a retirement, but not all do so. Ragnow signed a four-year, $54MM extension in 2021. That deal included only a $6MM signing bonus; $3MM of that remained on Detroit’s cap sheet, as two years were left on the center’s deal. Although signing bonuses are prorated over the life of a contract, players receive them much earlier — typically in a lump-sum payment or multiple such payments. The Lions asked for $1.6MM of a possible $3.2MM from Johnson following his 2016 retirement, and they went to arbitration with Sanders after his stunning summer 1999 exit.
“I think every contract’s slightly different and I won’t get into the negotiations because what we did with any one player wasn’t exactly the same and it did have something to do with how long ago it was and what percentage of the contract was a signing bonus vs. P5 [base salary],” Wood said. “But once you don’t do it with somebody, even a small amount, it makes it difficult to get the bigger amount. And it’s really, it’s the Lions’ money, it’s not the player’s money.”
Sanders and Johnson have since reconciled with the Lions. Ragnow, 29, is not planning another comeback bid. Here is the latest from the NFC North:
- The Bears are viewed as likely to add a defensive lineman in Round 1, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes. The team has Dayo Odeyingbo stationed opposite Montez Sweat, but the ex-Colt is coming off an Achilles tear. Chicago also pursued Maxx Crosby via trade. The team is believed to be high on Missouri’s Zion Young, Miller adds. Young may be considered a reach in Round 1, as Daniel Jeremiah ranks the D-end 45th on his big board. The Bears have three picks in the first two rounds, following the D.J. Moore trade, and may feature a bigger DT need. Grady Jarrett is going into an age-33 season, though the team did sign depth options in Kentavius Street and Neville Gallimore.
- Shemar Turner is also coming off a season-ending injury, but prior to his October ACL tear, the Bears had moved the defensive tackle to DE. It will be expected Turner stays at the EDGE spot upon recovery, the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs notes. The Bears chose Turner in the 2025 second round; his minimal defensive snaps were split almost evenly between DE and DT.
- The Packers reunited Javon Hargrave with new DC Jonathan Gannon, but some around the league look to have expected the team to sign Dalvin Tomlinson. Also an NFC cap casualty in March, Tomlinson ended up with the Chargers on a one-year, $6.2MM deal. Weight issues may have steered the Packers away from Tomlinson, a personnel exec informed SportsBoom.com’s Jason La Canfora. A nine-year veteran, Tomlinson spent last season as a full-time Cardinals starter. The Pack added Hargrave on a two-year, $23MM deal.
- Staying on the subject of NFC North D-lines, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the Lions met with five-year veteran Jay Tufele. Seeing time with the Jaguars, Bengals and Jets, the former fourth-round pick has started seven career games. The 26-year-old DT spent last season with the Jets, logging 230 defensive snaps.
Latest On Raiders’ Second-Round Plans; Team To Meet With CB Chris Johnson
There is little doubt the Raiders will use the first overall pick in the draft on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. On the other hand, there is far less certainty surrounding their second-round choice (No. 36 overall). Wide receiver and right tackle are among the areas the Raiders could address with that selection, Matt Miller of ESPN hears.
While veteran free agent pickup Kirk Cousins may be new head coach Klint Kubiak‘s starting QB to open 2026, the Raiders will expect Mendoza to be their long-term answer. Drafting either a receiver or an offensive lineman in Round 2 would be an attempt to provide more help for the prized signal-caller.
As a rookie general manager in 2025, John Spytek spent second- and fourth-round picks on receivers Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton. Those two remain unproven after combining for a meager 30 catches and no touchdowns as rookies. Tre Tucker led Raiders wideouts in receptions (57), yards (696) and touchdowns (five) last season, but he is scheduled to reach free agency next March. While the Raiders inked ex-Viking Jalen Nailor to a three-year, $35MM contract in free agency, he has never reached the 30-catch mark in a season.
If the Raiders pick up another newcomer for their receiving corps in the second round, Alabama’s Germie Bernard may be a realistic option. The Raiders visited with the Las Vegas native last month. Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks Bernard as the seventh-best receiver in this year’s class. It is less likely anyone from Brugler’s top six – Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, KC Concepcion and Omar Cooper Jr. (Mendoza’s college teammate) and Denzel Boston – will be available to the Raiders at 36.
Turning to right tackle, DJ Glaze has been the Raiders’ primary option since former GM Tom Telesco took him in the third round of the 2024 draft. Glaze is coming off his first 17-start season, though Pro Football Focus ranked his play a bottom-tier 60th among 78 tackles. Meanwhile, soon-to-be 31-year-old left tackle Kolton Miller missed all but four games as a result of a high ankle sprain and hairline fracture. Thanks in part to their issues at tackle, the Raiders allowed a league-worst 64 sacks. Geno Smith took a beating in his lone season as the Raiders’ quarterback. They obviously want better protection for Cousins and Mendoza.
The Raiders have vastly improved their offensive line this offseason with the signing of premier center Tyler Linderbaum to a record-setting pact in free agency. Someone like Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor could be on their radar if they want to continue strengthening their line in the second round.
Although offense may be the more likely path with the Raiders’ second selection, they are still putting in work on high-level defensive prospects. The team has scheduled a visit with San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson, per Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports. Brugler ranks Johnson as the 24th-best prospect in this class. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com is less bullish, but he still places Johnson 40th.
Johnson, who picked off four passes in 2025 and earned Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors, could be the Raiders’ choice if they go defense in the second round. He would join Eric Stokes and 2025 third-rounder Darien Porter as the Raiders’ top boundary corners. Johnson also has experience in the slot. The Raiders added veteran slot corner Taron Johnson in a trade with the Bills last month, but he is nearing 30 and coming off back-to-back injury-limited seasons.
Giants Meet With DT D.J. Reader
Regardless of Dexter Lawrence‘s 2026 status, defensive tackle is on the Giants’ radar. They are still a bit light at the position, and last year’s squad ranked 31st in stopping the run.
New York is considering a veteran addition in that department, with veteran reporter Jordan Schultz indicating the team brought in D.J. Reader for a visit Monday. Reader has also visited the Ravens; the veteran D-tackle is making the rounds and expected to sign somewhere post-draft.
That timeline aligns with the compensatory deadline, with another wave of free agency beginning annually due to teams waiting until May to sign UFAs due to them not counting against their comp-pick formula for the 2027 draft. Reader played out a two-year, $22MM Lions deal. He will be looking for a fourth NFL contract, having moved from Houston to Cincinnati to Detroit during a 10-year career.
Despite Reader coming off the second quadriceps tear of his NFL career (sustained in 2023), he started every game he played for the Lions. Reader, 31, missed only two games during his two-year Detroit tenure. The 330-pound defender graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 32 overall interior D-lineman last season and slotted 36th in 2024. He checked in higher as a Bengal, with PFF grading the Clemson alum as a top-11 DT from 2021-23. That span included a Super Bowl LVI start; Reader registered a sack in that close Cincinnati loss.
Harbaugh’s former team plays the compensatory system shrewdly every year. The Ravens hoard comp picks, regularly signing veterans after the draft. Baltimore often stocked its edge-rushing corps this way, and while Harbaugh has already added several ex-Ravens (Isaiah Likely, Patrick Ricard, Jordan Stout, Ar’Darius Washington, Daniel Faalele) in an active Giants free agency period, his former team’s tactics point to more roster-building work coming after the draft.
The Giants allowed 5.3 yards per carry last season, ceding at least 220 yards in three games (against the Commanders, Eagles and Lions). Lawrence has asked for a trade, but as our Adam La Rose noted in his most recent mailbag, that likely has more to do with extension talks than a full-on desire to leave New York. That said, the Giants are not believed to be planning a raise for Lawrence after a down season. That will test the eighth-year D-tackle’s resolve. It seems doubtful this Reader visit will cause Lawrence to cave, given the latter’s status as a two-time All-Pro.
Big Blue is believed to be more open to moving Kayvon Thibodeaux than Lawrence, whom Harbaugh has labeled a core player. The Giants are not expected to deal Lawrence, but they will listen to offers. If a big proposal is accepted, the Giants will be in dire need of DT help. More than just Reader would need to be added in the event an unlikely trade commences.
Lions Viewed As T Kadyn Proctor’s Floor; Ravens Interested?
The Lions granted Taylor Decker‘s release request after the sides could not agree on an adjusted contract. Decker had considered retirement this offseason but is eyeing an 11th NFL campaign; the Pro Bowler does not yet have a team.
While it should be expected Decker lands somewhere for an age-33 season, the Lions have a glaring need. Penei Sewell appears poised to shift from right to left tackle, following Tristan Wirfs in doing so, but only veteran swingman Larry Borom is in place as a right tackle option. The Lions look to be closely eyeing tackles in this draft.
One of those is Kadyn Proctor, with NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah indicating Detroit at No. 17 should be considered the Alabama prospect’s floor. Jeremiah views Proctor — his 22nd-ranked prospect — as having the most upside among O-linemen in this class. As our Ely Allen noted recently, Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano have been frequently ranked above Proctor, who has generated some weight concerns ahead of the draft. He checked in at 6-foot-7 and 352 pounds at the Combine but has played heavier in the past. Mekhi Becton-like concerns could cloud Proctor’s outlook, but Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer indicates he will go earlier than expected.
Breer previously posited Proctor’s best NFL fit may be at right tackle or at guard, and while he does add some discipline questions have surfaced here (potentially making certain teams leery), the upside will naturally intrigue other clubs.
A college LT, Proctor changing positions would suddenly align with the Lions’ needs, as Dan Campbell has discussed sliding Sewell — a three-time first-team All-Pro RT — to the blind side. The Buccaneers made the same move with Wirfs following the 2023 season; he has since collected two more Pro Bowls and earned first-team All-Pro recognition at his new spot. Sewell, whose 2024 extension lapped the field at right tackle, would be the NFL’s third-highest-paid LT.
Detroit agreed to terms with Borom on Day 1 of free agency, but the team only authorized a one-year, $5MM deal. That makes the formerly demoted Bears blocker’s status murky, and the Lions will surely look to have a higher-upside player opposite Sewell soon. Proctor has been linked to the Browns — who hold Nos. 6 and 24 — and visited the Chiefs (No. 9) and Texans (No. 28) thus far. Unless Houston moves way up, it appears Proctor will be out of reach.
The Lions had Decker and Sewell playing across from one another for four seasons. In that time, Detroit formed a high-end O-line. Major changes have ensued on the Lions’ front, however. Sewell is set to be the only starter from 2024 still in place by the time Week 1 rolls around. Given the interest in Proctor, it is fairly safe to say the Lions — who signed center Cade Mays last month — will be adding another piece to this unit early in the draft.
GM Brad Holmes also said (via ESPN.com’s Eric Woodyard) the Lions would “absolutely” use draft capital to trade up if the team is convinced on a player. The Lions made a big jump for Jameson Williams in 2022, and they veered wildly from mock drafts in adding Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell in the 2023 first round.
It is no lock Proctor falls to Detroit at 17. The Ravens are known to be fond of the Alabama program, and Proctor did impress at his pro day. No character issues exist here, according to SI.com’s Jason La Canfora, who views Proctor as the club’s most likely first-round O-line preference.
The Ravens do not have a tackle need presently, having Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten installed at those spots, but they did lose guard Daniel Faalele to the Giants last week. Baltimore added John Simpson in free agency, however. If the team drafted Proctor at No. 14, he would presumably replace Andrew Vorhees at left guard.
Bills Not Ruling Out First-Round Receiver
The Bills are without a second-round pick this year after acquiring wide receiver D.J. Moore from the Bears in March. While the Bills paid a high price for Moore, drafting a wideout in the first round is still on the table, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN relays.
That the Bills are open to a Round 1 receiver does not come as a surprise, especially given that they met with Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion. If Concepcion is still available when the Bills are on the clock at No. 26, he could be the pick for general manager Brandon Beane. Regardless of whether the Bills take Concepcion or someone else, it seems likely they will spend one of their first few picks on a wideout.
The Bills’ receiving corps looks better with Moore in a prominent role, but there are question marks beyond him and reliable slot target Khalil Shakir. Keon Coleman, whom the Bills drafted 33rd overall in 2024, has disappointed during his two-year career. The Bills signed ex-Charger Josh Palmer to a three-year contract in free agency last March, but he caught just 22 passes and no touchdowns during a 12-game, injury-shortened first season in Buffalo.
Going down the depth chart, the Bills’ only other receivers under contract are Mecole Hardman, Stephen Gosnell, Tyrell Shavers, Trent Sherfield and Jalen Virgil. There is no real threat in that group, and Shavers’ availability for 2026 is in question after he tore his ACL in a January wild-card round win over the Jaguars. Even when healthy, Shavers is a “dirty work” receiver who makes more hay as a blocker and special teamer than as a pass catcher.
Along with receiver, linebacker also figures to be a priority position for Buffalo in the draft, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid, who points to Missouri’s Josiah Trotter as a potential target. While Trotter does not look like a first-rounder, the Bills may hope he is there when they pick 91st overall in the third round. The Bills held a “30” visit with Trotter last month, according to Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com.
Trotter, the son of longtime NFL linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and the brother of Eagles LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., would give the Bills a much-needed presence on the inside as they transition to a 3-4 base defense. Shaq Thompson was the Bills’ most effective middle linebacker last season, but the 31-year-old remains unsigned a month after free agency opened. It is unclear if the Bills and the new Joe Brady–Jim Leonhard head coach-defensive coordinator tandem are interested in bringing Thompson back. To this point, Buffalo has done nothing to address the position this offseason, leaving the team with an iffy group consisting of the undersized Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, Keonta Jenkins and Jimmy Ciarlo.
Miami DE Rueben Bain Cited For Careless Driving In Connection To Death
APRIL 13: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirms the “general sentiment” around the NFL is that the latest Bain reporting will not impact his draft stock.
APRIL 12: Just 11 days from away from the potential start of his NFL career, Miami (Fla.) defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. is facing some controversy that has potential to hurt his draft status. Oliver Connolly of The Read Optional broke the story today that, in 2024, Bain was “cited for careless driving” in an accident that left a young woman in a coma for three months before her eventual passing.
During his sophomore season, Bain reportedly was driving at 4am with four passengers in his car. The victim was a 22-year-old female college student from Georgia visiting Miami over spring break — a statement from the victim’s family in response to Connolly’s request for comment expressed that they “are not seeking public attention” at this time, so the victim will remain unnamed here, though her name is available at the source link.
According to police crash records (via Armando Salguero of OutKick), Bain’s vehicle struck another car before then colliding with the “concrete barriers on both sides of the highway.” The victim “suffered incapacitating injuries and was rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center.” Comatose, she failed to regain consciousness before dying a little under three months later. A second passenger also sustained injuries from the crash and ended up hospitalized. The police report for the crash lists that Bain “operated his vehicle in a careless or negligent manner” but that his condition was “apparently normal.” The report is marked to show that there was no suspected use of drugs or alcohol and that no tests to determine such use were performed at the time.
The victim’s family created a GoFundMe page to help with “the financial strain” put on the victim’s father, who missed a significant amount of time at work to be by his daughter’s side. Per Connolly, “no finding of criminal liability” was made in connection with the crash or the victim’s death, and “the careless driving charge against Bain was dismissed by a court approximately two weeks before” the victim’s passing. According to Trey Wallace, also at OutKick, the charge was dismissed because of a “defective citation” after Bain entered a not guilty plea.
At the time of this writing, Bain is viewed as one of a group of three pass rushers seen as the consensus top prospects at the position, including Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey. Draft projections have him mostly going in the top 10 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, and certainly not lasting into the teens if he is still on the board at No. 11 overall.
Connolly’s story presents quotes from multiple team executives and other sources claiming they “feel like (Bain was) not transparent” with them or that they “are concerned about multiple incidents.” Wallace’s report contains more information on a second careless driving citation that occurred in October 2025, though this case was also dismissed because of a defective citation. Connolly even draws parallels to the historic slide of offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, who was projected by some to be the No. 1 pick in 2016 but ended up falling to 13th overall after videos were leaked minutes before the draft showing him smoking from a bong.
Others in the media don’t seem to be reacting with the same level of concern for Bain’s draft stock. In the wake of Connolly breaking the story, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer added that “teams have been aware of this case for a long, long time” and that “a lawsuit associated with the case…was settled in Miami.” The plaintiff of the settled lawsuit was the driver of the car Bain made contact with before crashing. Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS claimed that every team, except one, that he had “spoken with…(had) been satisfied with Bain’s explanation” of events and consider “the matter handled.” In addition to the victim’s family’s request that their privacy be honored, their response to Connolly’s request for comment called her passing “the result of a tragic accident” and “(wished) Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career.”
It’s difficult to say at this point whether or not this information, which is seemingly new to the media but known by the teams in range to draft Bain, will affect his draft stock. Breer and Jones’ comments seem to indicate that, if this issue were going to hurt his draft position, it would have done so already. While the loss of life of the victim is tragic, there doesn’t appear to be any lingering ill will following Bain from the family most affected by it. It’s worth keeping an eye out, though, to see if any teams within range of Bain decide to take him off their board.
Giants Sign QB Brandon Allen
Brandon Allen has lined up his next NFL gig. The veteran quarterback has agreed to a deal with the Giants, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.
The news has since been made official by a team announcement. Allen will offer New York with depth under center during offseason work. The Giants have Jaxson Dart in place as their starter, with Jameis Winston in the fold as well. Russell Wilson remains unsigned at this point, and today’s move further confirms he will not be back with New York for 2026.
Allen, 33, is a veteran of 19 appearances and 10 starts during the regular season in his career. He has spent plenty of time working with Brian Callahan, and the two overlapped in Cincinnati and again in Tennessee. Callahan was hired as the Giants’ new quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator in February, so this move will allow for another reunion with Allen.
Arriving in the NFL as a Jaguars draftee in 2016, Allen never made any regular-season appearance with Jacksonville. The former sixth-rounder’s first action in that regard came with the Broncos in 2019, and it was followed by a stint as the Bengals’ backup. Allen spent 2024 with the 49ers, making one start along the way. With Cam Ward remaining durable during his rookie season, though, Allen only logged 49 offensive snaps in 2025.
Dart will be counted on to operate as the Giants’ QB1 next season, although his style of play as a rookie resulted in injury concerns. Winston would be next in line to handle the team’s offense during his second year in the organization. Allen’s familiarity with Callahan will no doubt help him acclimate to the Giants during offseason work. He will spend the coming months attempting to carve out a roster spot or at least receive the opportunity to land on New York’s practice squad following cutdowns.
Titans Host DE David Bailey
Set to select fourth overall in next week’s draft, the Titans will have an interesting decision to make when they are on the clock. As expected, many of the top prospects in the 2026 class have received a look from Tennessee.
That includes David Bailey. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the Texas Tech edge rusher took part in a top-30 visit with the Titans last week. Bailey is in contention to be the top pass rusher selected, and as such he will receive strong consideration from both the Jets (set to draft second overall) and Cardinals (third).
Tennessee has long been connected to Jeremiyah Love, and the Notre Dame running back visited the Titans early in the pre-draft process. Love would offer a major boost to the team’s offense, although new head coach Robert Saleh has expressed confidence in the running back room as currently constructed. Bringing in a high-end EDGE presence would go a long way toward upgrading a Titans front seven which has plenty of room for improvement compared to 2025.
Bailey has long been viewed as a first-round lock thanks to his standout showing last season. Across three years at Stanford, he totaled 14.5 sacks. Bailey managed to match that figure during his lone campaign with the Red Raiders, adding 19.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles along the way. That resulted in first-team All-American honors and cemented his status as one of the top players at any position in the 2026 class.
The Titans have been busy with respect to additions along the defensive front this offseason. Jermaine Johnson was acquired via trade with the Jets, while John Franklin-Myers was among the team’s numerous big-ticket free agent signings. Other positions could be viewed as a priority with Tennessee aiming to rebound from a 3-14 season, but selecting Bailey would provide a notable presence against the pass for 2026 and beyond.
The same could of course be true of other prospects such as Ohio State hybrid linebacker/pass rusher Arvell Reese, who is also in position to hear his name called early on Day 1. Nevertheless, it comes as little surprise the Titans are among the teams which have done their homework on Bailey.