Texas Tech's $7 million defensive line is paying off - ESPN

LUBBOCK, Texas — I have the deal of a lifetime for you. Give me a call, bro.

Minutes after David Bailey entered the transfer portal March 28, Texas Tech general manager James Blanchard sent him that text message. The pass rusher from Stanford didn't respond. He wasn't answering calls, either.

Blanchard reached out to Bailey's agent, who informed him that the coveted transfer was leaning toward going to UCLA. But Blanchard wasn't giving up that easily. That night, he tried appealing to Bailey with one more text.

David, give me 120 seconds to have a convo with you. If you're not interested after that, I'll leave you alone.

Bailey remembers he was hanging out at a friend's house on a Friday night, back home after recently graduating from Stanford. He took the phone call out of curiosity. Bailey had been at the top of Blanchard's list of edge rusher targets in December, and the GM was willing to pay whatever he wanted.

Texas Tech wasn't just talking about going to $2 million. They were ultimately willing to make him the highest-paid defensive player in college football with a deal exceeding $3 million in compensation, sources familiar with the negotiation told ESPN. It's possible no defender in college football has earned more in the NIL era.

«I took that call,» Bailey said, «and, yeah, everything changed for me.»

Within two days, Bailey was on Texas Tech's campus for a visit. He still went on trips to Texas and UCLA, trying to gather as much information as he could ahead of a life-changing decision. But in the end, the Red Raiders made an offer he couldn't refuse.

And just like that, Texas Tech has built what it believed to be the best defensive line in college football. Bailey and Romello Height (Georgia Tech) bringing