Wesley Bailey: The Long Road to a Breakthrough
Is he worth the pick?
LAB REPORTS
Sometimes the most interesting dynasty players aren’t the ones who hear their name called on draft weekend.
Sometimes they’re the guys who spend the next few months making everyone wonder:
How the hell did this guy go undrafted?
That’s where I am with Wesley Bailey.
A few weeks ago, I probably wouldn’t have thought much about an undrafted edge trying to make the Los Angeles Rams.
Now?
I’m paying attention.
🛣️ The Long Road to a Breakthrough
Bailey’s path to the NFL was anything but linear.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he developed through local programs before heading to Clearwater Academy International in Florida. A three-star recruit, he landed at Rutgers and spent four seasons with the Scarlet Knights before transferring to Louisville for his final year of eligibility.
At Rutgers, Bailey showed flashes without ever really putting everything together.
He had his best seasons in 2022 and 2023, combining for 55 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
Then came a shortened 2024 season.
Instead of giving up, Bailey bet on himself one more time.
He transferred to Louisville and immediately put together the best season of his college career.
Playing in Jeff Brohm’s system, Bailey started all 12 regular-season games and posted:
🔥 39 tackles
🔥 7.0 tackles for loss
🔥 6.0 sacks
He finished his college career with 48 games, 110 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks.
That’s a pretty damn good résumé for a guy who ultimately went undrafted.
The Rams gave him his shot as a UDFA.
And Bailey hasn’t exactly been sitting quietly waiting for an opportunity.
💪 Elite Athleticism That Jumps Off the Screen
Here’s where things get really interesting.
Bailey is 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, but he moves like someone considerably smaller.
At his Louisville Pro Day, he reportedly ran a 4.69-second 40, with a ridiculous 1.53-second 10-yard split.
Then came the rest:
⚡ 4.50 shuttle
⚡ 7.00 three-cone
⬆️ 35-inch vertical
🚀 10-foot-1 broad jump
💪 27 bench-press reps
Put it all together and Bailey posted an elite Relative Athletic Score of roughly 9.83.
That’s the kind of athletic profile that makes you stop scrolling.
And more importantly, it shows up on the field.
Bailey has the length to keep offensive tackles away from his frame, the first-step burst to threaten the edge and enough bend to flatten toward the quarterback.
He also plays with active hands and a motor that doesn’t seem to quit.
We got a pretty good glimpse of all of it against New Orleans.
Bailey finished the Rams’ second preseason game with:
💥 5 tackles
💥 1 sack
💥 1 forced fumble
💥 4 QB hits
And the forced fumble was particularly impressive. He punched the ball out near the goal line, helping keep the Saints off the scoreboard.
After the game, Sean McVay said he “felt his presence all day.”
That’s pretty strong praise for an undrafted player fighting for a roster spot.
🎯 Why the Rams Fit Makes Sense
Here’s the part I really like.
Bailey doesn’t need to walk into Los Angeles and become a three-down starter.
He just needs to find a way onto the roster.
From there, he can develop as a rotational pass rusher, situational edge and special-teams contributor while learning from the veterans around him.
And the Rams have already given him opportunities.
Early camp reports showed Bailey earning first-team reps, and he’s taken advantage of his opportunities in both preseason games.
That matters.
There’s a big difference between a UDFA sitting with the third team all summer and a UDFA getting meaningful reps and producing when those opportunities come.
Bailey is doing the latter.
🤔 2026 Role & Competition
This is where things get really interesting.
The Rams have plenty of competition on the edge, and Bailey isn’t walking into a wide-open job.
There are established players ahead of him, along with several young players fighting for roster spots and rotational snaps.
That’s the bad news.
The good news?
Bailey is giving the Rams a reason to keep looking at him.
He doesn’t need to walk into LA and become a three-down starter on Day 1.
His most realistic path is as a situational pass rusher, special-teams contributor and developmental edge who can earn more snaps as he proves himself.
And that’s exactly the type of role that could work for him.
If he continues creating pressure, playing with effort and holding up against the run, his snap count could grow quickly—especially if injuries hit the players ahead of him.
The preseason has already given him opportunities.
Now he’s turning those opportunities into production.
That’s how an undrafted free agent gets noticed.
⚠️ There’s Still Plenty to Prove
Let’s not get carried away.
The athletic profile is exciting.
The preseason production is exciting.
But Bailey is still a developmental player.
His biggest questions aren’t physical.
They’re technical.
He needs to continue refining his pass-rush plan, improve his hand usage against stronger NFL tackles and prove he can consistently set the edge against the run.
And while his final season at Louisville was excellent, that level of production wasn’t always there during his Rutgers career.
That’s part of the reason he went undrafted.
The tools are real.
The polish isn’t there yet.
And that’s ultimately what we’re trying to figure out.
Is Bailey simply an incredible athlete who had one great season and one monster preseason game?
Or did the Rams just uncover a late-blooming edge with the physical tools to become a legitimate NFL contributor?
We don’t know yet.
And honestly, that’s what makes this stash so much fun.
For the price of a little FAAB, I’m willing to find out.
📈 Dynasty / IDP Fantasy Outlook
This is where Bailey becomes really interesting to me.
He’s an undrafted free agent.
Which means his price is basically nothing.
In most IDP leagues, he’s probably sitting on waivers.
In deeper formats, he’s a taxi-squad stash.
And that’s exactly the type of player I want to take a shot on.
Because the downside is minimal.
The upside?
A 6-foot-5, 265-pound edge with a 9.8-ish RAS who is already flashing as a pass rusher in preseason could become a very different fantasy asset if he earns a legitimate rotational role.
He’s particularly interesting in formats that reward:
🔥 Sacks
🔥 QB hits
🔥 Tackles for loss
🔥 Big plays
I’d be less aggressive in tackle-heavy formats where his path to consistent tackle volume is much less certain.
But if you’re playing deep IDP and have room on your roster?
I’m interested.
🏆 Bottom Line
Wesley Bailey’s road to the NFL wasn’t exactly conventional.
Three-star recruit.
Four years at Rutgers.
Transfer to Louisville.
Career year.
Undrafted.
Now he’s in Los Angeles fighting for a roster spot.
And instead of quietly trying to survive camp, he’s forcing people to notice him.
That’s what I like.
The athleticism is real.
The motor is real.
The preseason production is real.
Now we find out whether it’s enough to earn a roster spot.
The Rams didn’t spend a draft pick on Bailey.
They didn’t have to.
They just had to give him an opportunity.
And so far, he’s making the most of it.
DHQ Verdict 🏆
⭐⭐⭐☆☆
2026 Projection: Rotational edge, special-teams contributor and developmental pass rusher with an opportunity to carve out a larger role if injuries strike.
Ceiling: Athletic, high-motor rotational edge who develops into a reliable pass-rush specialist and eventually earns weekly IDP flex consideration in deeper formats.
Risk: Medium-High. Loaded competition, technical refinement still needed and only one truly dominant college season create a wide range of outcomes.
Dynasty/IDP Action: STASH.
If you can get Bailey for minimal FAAB—or better yet, for free—I’m taking the shot.
Because this is exactly the type of UDFA who can go from:
“Who the hell is that guy?”
to
“Why didn’t I grab him when nobody knew his name?”
And honestly?
That’s the bet I’m making.
Training camp and preseason are where opportunities become decisions.
Bailey is doing everything he can to make the Rams’ decision a difficult one.
Depth Wins Championships 🏆
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