From the early going of the 2025 college football season, there have been some in the media projecting Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. to be a high first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Some analysts have projected him to the top of the first round, but in speaking with sources at multiple teams, they are not that high on Bain. Sources at five different teams said they graded Bain much lower, but thought he could go in the mid-to-late first round.
“He’s a good football player, but he doesn’t have exceptional qualities,” said an AFC national scout. “He is not long, and I think that will show up in the NFL. I got him in the second [round].”
Listed at 6-foot-3, 275 pounds, Bain does not have the ideal height or length for a pro defensive end, and he is not heavy enough to kick inside to be a full-time defensive tackle. In 2025, Bain enters the final four games with 30 tackles, two sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble. Bain had a big game in Week 1 versus Notre Dame with six tackles, .5 sacks, and an interception. His other 1.5 sacks came in September. Over the last four games, Bain has eight tackles and zero sacks, while Miami has lost two games to knock them out of their high ranking.
“I don’t know how you take a guy in the top 15 with that limited production?” said an NFC national scout. “In the ACC, you can only get to the quarterback twice? He’s got a lot of hype, and are not lot of high end guys in this draft so that helps him.”
“He’s not a Von Miller, Myles Garrett, or Bosa brothers caliber,” said an AFC director of college scouting.
“To me, he’s a tweener,” said a senior executive with an AFC team. “I graded him on day two.”
A number of team sources have said they do not see a lot of elite talent for the 2026 NFL Draft, but some feel this could be a class that has some depth at edge rusher. It only takes one team to fall in love and take him high, but sources at five different teams feel he is more likely to go in the mid to late portion of the first round, and that is what I have projected in my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
