College: USC
Height: 6’
Weight: 201
Positives
Play Diagnosis: Bailey is very good at reading a play and diagnosing what exactly is going to happen. He is rarely out of position on a play and always seems to be flying around the ball. He can come up quickly in the run game or drop back into the right position if it is a pass.
Coverage: Bailey is very good in coverage. He shows a good, quick back pedal that keeps defenders from getting to close to him and good fluidity in his hips to turn and run with receivers and tight ends when needed. Bailey shows good speed, good body control and good hands that if he gets his hands on the ball it will be an interception.
Unselfishness: Bailey doesn’t worry about trying to make every tackle for himself. Bailey has no problems going up and taking the legs out of an upcoming blocker so someone else can make the tackle. Occasionally he will take out both the blocker and the ball carrier himself.
Negatives
Size Limitations: In the NFL Bailey won’t have the size to play that hybrid linebacker role, he will be limited to more of a traditional safety role, which he only played one year at USC. Bailey has the instincts to do it, it will just be a matter of getting used to it.
Tackling: Bailey has some issues tackling at times because of his technique. Instead of consistently driving through ball carriers he will try to grab and pull them to the ground, too often this causes him to fall off and miss the tackle.
NFL Comparison
Antonio Allen: Both Allen and Bailey played a hybrid linebacker/safety roll in college and both are close to the same size, though Allen has a couple of inches on Bailey. Both have experience playing up in the box and have some experience in coverage. Allen had a very nice year with the Jets this year and Bailey should be able to bring the same kind of play to whoever drafts him.
Draft Outlook
Bailey is looking like he will likely be picked somewhere around the third-round. I could see a team falling in love with his versatility and grabbing him sometime in the late second, but I could as easily see teams not wanting to take a bit of a tweener that early and him falling to the fourth. Bailey can come in right away and provide special teams play and be a nickel linebacker if he doesn’t win a starting safety job.
Best Fit
A team who plays a lot of man to man is going to be the best fit for Bailey. Bailey is the kind of player who will never have to leave the field because he can play in any personnel. He can play as an in the box safety on early downs and then switch to a nickel linebacker on passing downs. He is capable of playing safety on passing downs and matching up in the slot with tight ends and running backs as well.