Rueben Bain Jr. has spent the past few months marketing himself as the pass rusher who can lead an NFL defense But, at the NFL scouting combine, he'll have to overcome the measurables.
Bain measured 6-foot-2 2/8 and 263 pounds, with 9 1/8-inch hands, 30 7/8-inch arms and a 77 1/2-inch wingspan. Those measurements are a big reason for any sort of skepticism regarding Bain, despite lots of production in college.
Rueben Bain
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) February 26, 2026
6022
263
9 1/8 hand
30 7/8 arm
77 1/2 wing
Rueben Bain Jr. is projected to be a first round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
The short-arm debate isn't new or shocking for Bain. 33 inches is generally treated as a cutoff before arm length becomes suboptimal for edge rushers in the league. Bain came in more than two inches under it. And it was expected to be short.
Bain was Miami's centerpiece up front. He finished the season with 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks, and he won the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end. Over his three-year Miami career, he logged 121 tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks in 38 games.
Bain's response to the short arm accusations has been to downplay the significance. Speaking at the combine, he said teams haven't brought it up in interviews, calling it "stuff you see on social media."
Miami Hurricanes players invited to participate in Combine
- QB Carson Beck
- WR C.J. Daniels
- OT Francis Mauigoa
- OT Markel Bell
- OG Anez Cooper
- EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
- EDGE Akheem Mesidor
- LB Wesley Bissainthe
- CB Keionte Scott
- S Jakobe Thomas
2026 NFL Combine Schedule
- Thursday, Feb. 26 (3-8 p.m. ET): Defensive linemen and linebackers (kickers/punters in the first workout block).
- Friday, Feb. 27 (3-8 p.m. ET): Defensive backs and tight ends.
- Saturday, Feb. 28 (1-8 p.m. ET): Quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs.
- Sunday, March 1 (1-5 p.m. ET): Offensive linemen.