2026 NFL Scouting Report: Rueben Bain Jr.

Prospect Summary:

There is no doubt that Bain is a good college football player with the ability to contribute in the NFL. He is tough at the point of attack, plays hard, and has some talent to work with. He needs to increase his production and show a natural position fit in 2025.

For the NFL, Bain is a physical defender at the point of attack. He is tough as nails and difficult to move in the ground game. He holds his gap well with the strength to work off blocks. With a quality lateral anchor and good leverage, offensive linemen struggle to move Bain. He routinely takes on and sheds blocks to get in on tackles that help produce quality down-and-distance situations. Bain has a steady motor and doesn’t quit on plays. With his strength, build, good fundamentals, and technique, Bain should be an asset as a run defender at the next level.

In the pass rush, Bain is a solid contributor but not a world beater. He does not have elite speed and athleticism off the edge. He has a powerful bull rush and some quickness out of his stance, but he is stiff and can struggle to dip his hips to redirect to the quarterback. As a rusher, he has the versatility to move inside and go against guards. In the pro ranks, Bain will probably never be a prolific sack artist, but he could be a really solid complement to good rushers around him.

Bain is versatile to line up on the edge or move inside to tackle as a three technique. For the NFL, his best fit could come as a base end in a 4-3 or playing five technique in a 3-4. While Bain does not have the ideal height and length for a five, his strength and toughness allow him to play that. Bain is a tweener end/tackle, and that makes him have some limitations for the NFL.