Levelle Bailey Bio
Levelle Bailey is an American professional football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Born in Sacramento, California, Bailey played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs before joining the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2024. Standing 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) and competing at roughly 225 lb (102 kg), he plays the linebacker position wearing jersey number 56.
Across his college and early professional career, Bailey has been recognized as a dependable tackler and a versatile defender capable of contributing against both the run and the pass. His journey from Sacramento to the NFL reflects steady development through high school competition, a productive run at Fresno State, and an opportunity seized in Denver.
Early Life and Background
Levelle Bailey was born on December 4, 2000, in Sacramento, California, to Lester Bailey and Diana Tapa. He grew up alongside six older siblings in a household rooted in athletic tradition. His father, Lester, is African-American and his mother, Diana, is from Tonga, giving Levelle a multicultural background that shaped his upbringing in the Sacramento community.
Bailey attended Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, where he quickly emerged as a two-sport standout. He was a first-team All-City selection in both football and basketball, demonstrating the combination of physicality and athleticism that would later define his linebacker profile. As a senior, he posted 81 tackles and 7.0 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) en route to second-team all-state honors, and he capped his prep career by blocking two kicks in the Optimist All-Star Classic. His performance drew the attention of college recruiters, and he ultimately committed to Fresno State.
Path to American Football
Bailey’s path to professional football began in earnest when he joined the Fresno State Bulldogs in 2019 as a true freshman. He quickly earned playing time, starting five games and recording 30 tackles with six TFLs, an early signal of his sideline-to-sideline range. The following season he matched his five starts and added 21 tackles while earning his first All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention.
By his junior campaign, Bailey had grown into one of the Bulldogs’ most productive defenders, starting 12 games and finishing third on the team with 56 tackles, 8.0 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and six pass breakups. He carried that momentum into a senior year in which he started all 14 games and led Fresno State with 88 tackles, collecting another All-MWC honorable mention. Across 58 collegiate games he totaled 277 tackles, 25.5 TFLs, seven sacks and six interceptions.
Levelle Bailey Career
Early Career (2019–2023)
Bailey’s developmental arc at Fresno State featured steady increases in responsibility and production. After contributing as a rotational player in 2019 and 2020, he became a full-time starter from 2021 onward and was recognized with three consecutive All-Mountain West honorable mention selections. His coverage skills grew alongside his run-defense work, evidenced by his six career interceptions.
In his final college season, 2023, Bailey served as a team captain and recorded 82 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five TFLs and three interceptions, performances that earned him second-team All-MWC honors. He then led the Bulldogs to a victory in the 2023 New Mexico Bowl and was named the game’s Defensive MVP. His college résumé was further validated by invitations to both the Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Fresno State Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Bailey’s statistical breakthrough came in 2021, when his 56-tackle, 3.5-sack, two-interception season established him as one of the Mountain West’s most complete linebackers. His ability to disrupt passing lanes set him apart from typical front-seven defenders, and he repeated as an honorable mention All-MWC pick.
The 2022 season reinforced his role as the Bulldogs’ defensive leader. Starting all 14 games, he paced the team with 88 tackles and added another All-MWC honorable mention, building the case that he was NFL-ready heading into his senior year.
Senior Year and Postseason Recognition (2023)
As a senior captain in 2023, Bailey delivered his most decorated campaign, tallying 82 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five TFLs and three interceptions while earning second-team All-Mountain West honors. His leadership and production helped Fresno State capture the 2023 New Mexico Bowl, where his defensive MVP performance provided a strong concluding chapter to his college career. Invitations to the Hula Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl followed, confirming his draft-eligible profile despite his eventual undrafted status.
Denver Broncos Era (2024–Present)
After going unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft, Levelle Bailey signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. He wasted little time making an impression, returning an interception 94 yards for a touchdown in Denver’s preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals. That play highlighted the ball-hawking instincts he had shown throughout his Fresno State tenure.
Bailey initially made Denver’s 53-man roster before being waived on August 29, 2024, only to be re-signed to the practice squad the following day. On October 8, 2024, he was promoted back to the active roster. The following year, on August 26, 2025, the Broncos again waived him and quickly re-signed him to the practice squad. He was elevated for the Week 1 home opener against the Tennessee Titans, and on January 26, 2026, Bailey signed a futures contract with Denver, securing his place with the organization heading into the next league year.
Driving Style and Strengths
Levelle Bailey is best described as a versatile, instincts-driven linebacker whose college production blended run-stopping physicality with coverage range. He finished his Fresno State career with six interceptions and 25.5 tackles-for-loss, demonstrating comfort dropping into coverage while also disrupting plays near the line of scrimmage. His transition to the NFL has leaned on those traits, particularly his ability to read quarterbacks and finish plays in space.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bailey’s signature professional moment came in his first NFL preseason, when his 94-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals announced his arrival in Denver. He also earned postseason recognition at the collegiate level as the 2023 New Mexico Bowl Defensive MVP, cementing his legacy as one of Fresno State’s most productive modern linebackers.
Levelle Bailey Career Wins
Across his collegiate and early professional career, Levelle Bailey has accumulated recognition in the form of postseason invitations, all-conference honors and a bowl-game MVP award. While individual game-win totals are not comprehensively tracked at the linebacker position, his résumé features the 2023 New Mexico Bowl victory with Fresno State and steady contributions to the Denver Broncos’ defensive rotations.
Fresno State Highlights
Bailey’s four-season run with the Bulldogs included 277 tackles, 25.5 TFLs, seven sacks and six interceptions across 58 games. He capped his career with second-team All-Mountain West honors and the New Mexico Bowl Defensive MVP award in 2023, after invitations to the Hula Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl underscored his professional potential.
Other Wins and Performances
At Luther Burbank High School, Bailey was a two-time first-team All-City selection and a second-team all-state pick as a senior. He added two blocked kicks at the Optimist All-Star Classic, foreshadowing the disruptive special-teams playmaking he would later show with a 94-yard interception return touchdown in his NFL preseason debut.
Levelle Bailey Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Levelle Bailey comes from a large, athletic family in Sacramento, California. He is the son of Lester Bailey and Diana Tapa, and he grew up alongside six older siblings, an environment that helped foster his competitive edge and love for team sports.
Personal Life
Bailey’s family heritage reflects both African-American and Tongan roots through his parents. At Fresno State, he majored in kinesiology, applying his academic focus to the study of human movement and athletic performance alongside his on-field development as a linebacker.
2025 Season Performance
Levelle Bailey’s 2025 campaign with the Denver Broncos reflected the stop-and-start rhythm common to young players navigating practice-squad and active-roster movement. After being waived and quickly re-signed to the practice squad in late August 2025, he was elevated for the Week 1 home opener against the Tennessee Titans, signaling the staff’s continued confidence in his coverage traits and special-teams value.
Through the early portion of the season, Bailey has continued to work within Denver’s linebacker rotation, contributing on defense and on special teams while the Broncos evaluate his long-term role. As of career NFL statistics tracked in 2025, he had registered five total tackles in regular-season action.
Looking ahead, Bailey signed a futures contract with the Broncos on January 26, 2026, locking in his position with the organization for the upcoming league year. With his combination of tackling reliability, coverage instincts and postseason recognition from his Fresno State days, he remains a developmental piece to watch as Denver shapes its linebacker depth chart.
