Rueben Bain Jr.’s phenomenal 2025 season has put him in the top 10 draft selection conversations. The former Miami star also remains committed to ensuring his potential is evident throughout the draft process, following a successful career with the Hurricanes.
Rueben Bain Jr. Delivers Honest Confession About Michael Irvin
Miami’s inclusion in the 2025 College Football Playoff as the No. 10 seed sparked intense national debate due to its late-season jump over Notre Dame. However, Bain and the Hurricanes quieted much of the criticism by authoring one of the CFP’s most memorable Cinderella runs, advancing all the way to the national title game against Indiana.
In an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Wednesday, Bain spoke on the claims that Miami didn’t belong in the playoffs.
“I really pay no mind,” Bain said. “It was going to get in a real good gut feeling. I knew it was going to get in. It was it was this that the other thing it was game here, be wise. We put too much work here for it not to happen. I knew that God had us in the right way. Okay, once they gave us the opportunity, we just seized it.”
Eisen hilariously said maybe the CFP selection committee knew if they didn’t put Miami in, they would get the belt from Miami legend Michael Irvin.
“They had to man,” Bain said. “He was gonna be right there going crazy.”
Irvin was an iconic Miami wide receiver, leading the Hurricanes in receiving each of his three seasons and helping the Hurricanes win the 1987 national championship.
However, he has become contemporarily known as an iconic Hurricanes football fan for his animated presence on the Miami sidelines during its 2025 season.
Irvin acted as Miami’s unofficial hype man and mentor, as he was seen celebrating wildly- dropping to all fours and swinging his belt in celebration.
As for his relationship with Irvin, Bain had an honest confession: “He’s a hell of a mentor, but that man is crazy.”
Irvin was spotted celebrating with Bain following Miami’s playoff win over Ohio State and later shared a video message telling him, “Life will never be the same again… Hell of a job.”
Bain also has a family tie to Miami’s football legacy, as his uncle, Tolbert Bain, played defensive back for the Hurricanes and was teammates with Irvin on the 1987 national championship team.
Bain recorded 54 tackles, 30 solo stops, 15.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception in the 2025 season. The consensus All-American defensive lineman also earned an 82.7 grade in the PFSN College Football EDGE Impact Metric.
If selected within the top 10 picks of the upcoming NFL Draft, Bain would become the highest-drafted Miami defensive player since Antrel Rolle was chosen eighth overall in 2008.
