Every NFL team must hear former Miami star Leonard Taylor's case for Rueben Bain Jr.

Rueben Bain Jr. left an indelible impression on his former Miami Hurricanes teammate Leonard Taylor right away. During Bain's first ever practice at The U, Taylor claims to have seen a certain type of explosiveness that you simply cannot teach a younger player. He spoke glowingly about his former teammate during an interview with Kevin Clark of ESPN ahead of Super Bowl 60 over in the Bay Area.

Taylor talked about the first time he saw Bain suit up on a practice field for the team a few years ago.

"So Rueben [Bain Jr.] came in my second year, I saw him get off the ball for the first time and I said, 'Man, this kid has some speed to him!' I saw how he was able to bend the edge and stuff, and I was like, 'We got one right here!'"

When asked by Clark why NFL teams should make Bain a top-five pick, Taylor offered the following.

"He is an elite player. He's going to give you 100 percent every single day. He's coachable. He's great in the locker room and he's a team player. At the end of the day, he wants to help the team win, so that would be the type of guy I would want around."

Here is everything Taylor said to Clark about Bain in the lead-up to Super Bowl 60 earlier this week.

Taylor is thriving with the New England Patriots, but his team will have no shot at drafting Bain here...

Leonard Taylor explains why Rueben Bain Jr. should be a top-five pick

The combination of size, speed, and agility will all get Bain drafted high. Where the separating factor seems to come through for him is his character and team-first attitude. Although he does not play quarterback, Bain plays arguably the second-most important position on the field in edge rusher, the one whose job it is to ruin the opposing quarterback's day. To have a leader in that role is quite crucial.

In the NFL, great offenses can usually be sustained year over year, whereas high-end defenses tend to be a year-to-year proposition. What can change that paradigm is having a foundational piece like Bain coming in. Look at what he helped Miami accomplish this past season. He was the team's best player. He made everyone around him better. Bain is projecting to be the next NFL star out of Miami.

Overall, hearing one former blue-chip prospect talking this glowingly about a former teammate of his who is younger than him speaks volumes. Taylor did not get drafted out of Miami, but has caught on with his second NFL team in as many seasons this year. He knows how hard it is to perform at the next level. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to someone who is better than you and be happy.

While the chances of Taylor and Bain playing together again are quite slim, the latter is a top-five pick.