Rueben Bain Jr. is one of the best defensive edge rushers in college football, and his rise at the start of his career at Miami has not gone unnoticed. Entering what could be his last season in college football, Bain is drawing interest from NFL evaluators for the 2026 Draft.
As detailed in the ChiefsWire scouting report, Bain’s combination of size and explosiveness makes him uniquely disruptive from the edge. Early production as a freshman and flashes as a sophomore, despite battling injury, show his upside as a potential top NFL prospect. Samuel Teets wrote the article on ChiefsWire and focused on the Kansas City Chiefs potentially being interested in Bain's services.
"The Chiefs could double down on their defensive end room in the 2026 NFL draft by selecting Miami Hurricanes star Rueben Bain Jr., who has the potential to eclipse [Ashton] Gillotte on the depth chart."Samuel Teets
In his freshman season at Miami he earned ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023 after recording 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks and becoming a starter by his third college game. Although a calf injury curtailed his sophomore season and limited him when he was able to return to the field. Now, with reports that he is in better shape, he enters his junior campaign as one of college football’s elite defenders.
"Bain suffered a soft tissue calf injury in Week 1 last season and never looked like himself the rest of the year. His freshman 2023 tape reveals a much more explosive, confident game-wrecker. Bain’s draft stock could even out if he gets back to that level of play in 2025."Samuel Teets
Most scouting reports on Bain highlight his first-step, violent hands, lower‑body drive and fit in multiple defensive fronts. With that said, scouts also flag certain areas. His calf injury raises durability concerns, and his upper‑body length is solid but not elite, sometimes limiting his ability to disengage from longer-armed blockers.
Regardless of some shortcomings and things of that nature, Bain has shown that he can produce at the college level. If 2025 goes as planned for Bain and the defense in Coral Gables, he will hear his name called on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.