In the midst of some less-than-stellar picks in the middle of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers impressed many by selecting edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. from the Miami Hurricanes. While his measurables have sparked considerable discussion, the Buccaneers are looking to add a playmaker after losing linebacker Lavonte David in the offseason. Let’s see how the NFL world reacted to the Buccaneers’ first-round draft pick.
Buccaneers Get Praised for Drafting Rueben Bain Jr. in the 2026 NFL Draft
PFSN’s Draft crew gave Tampa Bay’s selection of Bain an A+ grade. He has been a disruptive defender since he entered the college football circuit. After joining the Hurricanes as a four-star recruit, Bain racked up 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles in his true freshman campaign.
Bain’s sophomore season was less productive due to a calf injury, but he returned to form as a legitimate game-wrecker at his best in 2025. He earned All-American honors in the process of accruing 8.5 sacks, 13 TFLs, and a strong PFSN EDGE Impact score of 82.7.
At 275 pounds, Bain has a rare body type for the position, with elite compact mass and natural leverage, and he’s an explosive long-track accelerator with awesome raw hand power.
Greg Auman of Fox Sports summed up Tampa Bay’s selection of Bain concisely, posting, “The basics on Bucs’ first-rounder Rueben Bain: 9.5 sacks last year for Miami. He’s 21 years old, 6-foot-2, 263 pounds. Had 20.5 sacks in three years with the Hurricanes.”
The basics on Bucs’ first-rounder Rueben Bain: 9.5 sacks last year for Miami. He’s 21 years old, 6-foot-2, 263 pounds. Had 20.5 sacks in three years with the Hurricanes.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 24, 2026
With his power and raw strength, Bain can sled through tackles and overwhelm 1-on-1 as a pass rusher, but he also has the hyper-elite sturdiness to absorb combo and duo blocks in the run game, and sets an edge with unflinching consistency. PFSN’s Alex Kennedy was quick to shout out Tampa Bay’s pick, posting, “Steal of the draft.”
Steal of the draft. https://t.co/XJvc5j3s3X
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) April 24, 2026
While power is Bain’s primary mode, he has a deep pass-rush bag and smooth upper-lower synergy, superb strength, IQ, and pursuit range in run defense, and surprising flexibility as a finisher. There has been talk of him potentially transitioning to DT in the NFL, but he fits best as an alignment-versatile EDGE, where he can use extended runways to channel power.
In that role, Bain can be a plus starter and situational game-wrecker in the NFL, similar to how he was in college.
JP Acosta of CBS Sports gushed about the Buccaneers’ selection, saying, “This might be the best pick of the draft so far. Todd Bowles loves players with high motors that run through linemen’s face and Bain is exactly that. He’s gonna crush it in that defense imo.”
No. 15: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami
This might be the best pick of the draft so far. Todd Bowles loves players with high motors that run through linemen’s face and Bain is exactly that. He’s gonna crush it in that defense imo
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) April 24, 2026
While the broadcast brought up his measurables, specifically his arm length, Skip Bayless pushed back on the narrative surrounding Bain’s perceived weakness, posting, “Rueben Bain’s ‘short arms’ sure worked just fine every time I watched him dominate for the U.”
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Bain is sure to give the Buccaneers defense a boost after losing a long-term presence in David. This also makes the signing of A’Shawn Robinson in the offseason a bit interesting, as Bain will be competing with him, Calijah Kancey, and Elijah Roberts for a starting spot on defense.
