An Ohio native (Hilliard) and rookie seventh-round pick, Bailey spent five seasons (2015-20) at Purdue and proved to be one of the most productive defenders in the Big Ten when healthy ... Considered by some draft analysts to have second- to third-round ability on film, however he slipped to the seventh round due to two serious knee injuries in college ... Tore ACL in left knee as a true freshman in 2015, and then tore ACL in right knee in second game of senior season ... Played in 43 career games at Purdue, and totaled 327 tackles, including 28 for losses and 13.5 sacks ... In three full seasons at Purdue, he led team in tackles twice and finished second once ... Also considered strong in pass coverage, he had 13 career PDs and six INTs.
Career transactions: Selected by Cincinnati in seventh round of 2020 NFL Draft (215th overall) ... Signed with Bengals on 7-21-20.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo says: "He's had obviously a little bit of an injury history, but we feel good about it. And we feel good about his ability. He's done it all — he's played out in space as a displaced linebacker out covering receivers, he's covered tight ends, he's blitzed. He really showed up (on film). He's a football junkie. He's one of those guys that's a gym rat — he's always in there. I know those coaches well there (at Purdue), and they've got to kick the kid out of the building. He can do all three (linebacker) positions. He brings flexibility and has a passion for the game."
College highlights: Spent five seasons (2015-20) at Purdue, and saw action in 43 career games ... Totaled 327 career tackles, including 28 for losses and 13.5 sacks, and added 13 PDs, six INTs (one pick-six), two FFs and a FR ... Knee injuries limited him to just three healthy seasons (2016-18), but he played in all 38 possible games during that span ... A decorated student athlete, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in each of his three injury-free seasons and was a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy (nation's top football scholar athlete) in his injury-shortened senior season. 2019—Team co-captain ... Suffered season-ending right knee injury (torn ACL) in second game of season (Sept. 7 vs. Vanderbilt) ... Finished with 14 tackles, including two for losses and one sack. 2018—Started all 13 games and led team with 115 tackles, including nine for losses and team-high 5.5 sacks, and had three PDs, an INT and a FF ... Posted six double-digit tackle performances: against Ohio State (15), Nebraska (11), Boston College (10), Michigan State (11), Wisconsin (11) and Music-City Bowl vs. Auburn (11) ... Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for 15-tackle performance (career-high) in upset win over No. 2 Ohio State, which also included a 41-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. 2017—Started all 13 games, and finished second on team with 89 tackles, including 11 for losses and seven sacks, along with three PDs, an INT, a FF and a FR ... Had four tackles and an INT on Sept. 16 at Missouri ... Posted career-high 10 solo tackles, including two for losses, at No. 7 Wisconsin ... Had nine tackles and two sacks on Sept. 8 vs. No. 8 Michigan ... Posted 11 tackles in Foster Farms Bowl vs. Arizona. 2016—Started all 12 games and led team with 97 tackles, including six for losses, along with team-high four INTs ... Posted eight solo tackles and a pair of INTs in season finale at Indiana. 2015—Played in three games and saw action mostly as a reserve, before suffering a season-ending left knee injury (torn ACL). Finished season with 12 tackles.
High school: Attended Hilliard Davidson High School in Hilliard, Ohio (outside Columbus) ... As a senior, recorded 100 tackles, three INTs and three FFs ... Totaled 160 tackles and four INTs as a junior.
Personal: Hometown is Hilliard, Ohio (outside Columbus) ... Graduated from Purdue in December 2018 with bachelor's degree in movement and sport sciences, and earned master's degree in leadership from Purdue in May 2020.
