NFL teams see the Miami's star Rueben Bain Jr. as the kind of defender you build a franchise around, and one new mock draft has him landing in a spot that would be a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks: lining up next to Myles Garrett in Cleveland.
In a new 2026 first-round mock from SaturdayBlitz, the Browns use the No. 5 overall pick on Bain, pairing him with Garrett and former Michigan standout Mason Graham on the defensive line.
"The rest of the season will determine whether the Browns roll with their quarterback room next season or if they pick one at the top of the draft. If the Browns can roll with their quarterback room, adding an elite edge rusher in Rueben Bain Jr to a defensive line with Myles Garrett and Mason Graham would give the Browns a defense that's impossible to game plan for."Nicholas Rome
Rueben Bain's career at Miami
For Miami fans, it is another sign of just how far Bain's stock has climbed since he arrived on campus as a local blue-chip signee out of Miami Central. Bain stepped into the rotation as a true freshman in 2023, then seized a starting role after early-season injuries up front. 'He finished that year with 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, earning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-America honors as the only freshman in the conference with more than seven sacks.
An injury in the 2024 opener against Florida limited Bain and cost him multiple games, but even in a shortened season he posted 23 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Now, deep into the 2025 season, he has looked like a game-wrecker.
On the season he has 19 solo tackles, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception as the centerpiece of a Miami defense that has spent much of the fall ranked in the national top 20 in most major categories. It should continue to stay interesting how he amounts to the pressure.