One of the strongest and deepest positions in the 2026 NFL Draft is the edge rushers, which is highlighted by a big-name in Rueben Bain Jr.
Despite being one of the best edge rushers in the draft class, one concern about him is his arm length, which is being reiterated as the draft is just days away.
Renewed Concern About Rueben Bain Jr.’s Arm Length
Bain was the anchor of the Miami Hurricanes’ defense this past season, which ranked as the fifth-best unit in college football with an impact score of 89.9 and a letter grade of B+ in PFSN’s CFB Defensive Impact Metric.
In PFSN’s CFB Edge Impact Metric, Bain ranked as the 15th best edge rusher with an impact score of 82.7 and a letter grade of B-. This past season, he had 9.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss, 54 combined tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass defended, and 1 forced fumble. He was also named as an All-American and the 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
In 38 games across three collegiate seasons, he accrued 20.5 sacks, 33.5 tackles for loss, 121 combined tackles, 1 interception, 2 passes defended, and 4 forced fumbles.
However, there is a major concern about Bain’s arm length, which measured 30 7/8″, which is in the third percentile, meaning 97% of edge rushers measured bigger arms than him.
One defensive line coach talked about the concerns and shared the following thoughts via The Athletic:
“His arm length does scare me, especially against tackles,” said the coach. “He ain’t gonna be able to get into them. I think his get-off is really good and his bend is crazy, especially for a square-shaped guy. You’d think he’d be more top-heavy, but his bend is like Nik Bonitto-crazy.”
“But I do think he will struggle right away because he has to be the aggressor,” the coach added. “These guys will put their hands out there and wall you off. You gotta be the aggressor in everything you do. He’s got a good speed to power, and that has to be his go-to.”
Despite the poor arm length, Bain dominated at the collegiate level. However, how will he fare against the league’s best offensive tackles like Trent Williams, Penei Sewell, and Tristan Wirfs?
Where Could Rueben Bain Jr. Be Drafted?
Even though Bain has proven his skills at a collegiate level, where could he be drafted on Thursday night? In PFSN’s Jacob Infante’s final mock draft, he predicts that the Washington Commanders will select him with the seventh overall pick. Here’s his reasoning for the selection:
“Let’s face it: 2025 was a disaster of a season for the Washington Commanders,” Infante wrote. “Injuries flooded their roster, but they also exposed their lack of developing young talent outside of injured quarterback Jayden Daniels. In the 2026 NFL Draft, they have a serious chance to infuse their roster with much-needed youth. Rueben Bain Jr. is a powerful edge rusher who accelerates quickly off the line of scrimmage.”
“Bain maintains a low center of gravity at the point of attack, he converts speed to power well, and he has a deep arsenal of moves he can string together to shed blocks,” Infante added. “He was arguably the best pure edge rusher in college football this year and is easily one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.”
This season, the Commanders ranked third-worst in PFSN’s NFL Defensive Impact Metric, with an impact score of 64.8 and a letter grade of D. With a dire improvement needed for their defense, Bain clearly fits the bill.
So, who is the defensive line coach who said that?? Put your name on it.