Former Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. is one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class. Bain distinguished himself as one of the best defensive linemen in the country as Miami made a sensational run in the College Football Playoff, culminating in a national championship game appearance.
Bain’s arm measurements of 30⅞ inches at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis last month caused significant discourse over his suitability for the league as an edge rusher.
ESPN Draft Guru Jordan Reid Defends Polarizing Prospect Rueben Bain Jr.
During Friday’s segment of the “Pat McAfee Show,” ESPN draft expert Jordan Reid dismissed concerns about Bain’s arms and revealed how highly rated the defensive lineman should be in the draft.
“The first one is Rueben Bain, the Miami defensive lineman at Miami’s Pro Day, there was a flock of teams,” Reid said. “He only did positional drills, which isn’t a big deal to me, but athletic testing is a big debate in draft rooms. But we’ve seen this dude dominate down the back stretch. He was phenomenal in the College Football Playoff.
“He has short arms, but the way that he was able to go out and dominate the way that he did during the back stretch of the season, personally, I think he’s the best edge rusher in the draft. If I’m the Jets at No. 2, I think it’s a serious consideration. I feel that good about Rueben Bain despite his short arms.”
Should Bain be picked in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, he would have the shortest arms of any edge rusher selected that early since combine measurement data was first available in 1999.
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Bain Addresses Short Arm Controversy Ahead of Draft
In an interview with NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe earlier this week, Bain addressed the controversy about his short arms while sending a defiant message to NFL teams about his all-around abilities.
“Mike Tyson, he wasn’t the tallest guy, wasn’t the longest-limbed guy, but when you felt him, you felt him,” Bain said. “You kept your distance. Most people didn’t know I could drop in coverage like that. I’m at a new weight, new body type, new style and I’m still the same player. No matter what, I can do anything in a game of football.”
Bain won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and earned consensus All-American honors after tallying 15.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 83 pressures, and 9.5 sacks and earning a PFSN College EDGE Impact score of 82.7.
