Rueben Bain will attempt to have a redemptive season after an injury limited him in 2024. Pro Football Focus named Bain fourth in their "College Football: Top 10 returning edge defenders for the 2025 season." As a freshman in 2023, Bain was named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Bain will team with Akheem Mesidor to provide Miami with an experienced pair of edge defenders entering the 2025 season. Bain and Mesidor can both move inside, giving Miami versatility on the defensive line. In 2024, Bain had 23 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in nine games.
Bain was a third-team All-American in addition to being named ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. Despite missing three games during the 2024 regular season, Bain still earned honorable mention All-ACC. T.J. Parker of Clemson is the only ACC edge defender ranked ahead of Bain by PFF.
Bain will play under new Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman in 2025. In March, Bain discussed the more aggressive system Hetherman will play than Miami did during his first two seasons. Bain stated the defensive linemen for Miami will have a greater chance to get upfield.
Best on best: A Francis Mauigoa vs. Rueben Bain rep pic.twitter.com/8SiIyse3A3
— Adam Lichtenstein (@ABLichtenstein) March 27, 2025
"4. Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus
A calf injury kept Bain from taking a significant jump in his sophomore year like many were expecting, but he still deserves a spot in the top-five of this list for how good he’s been over his first couple of seasons.
Bain’s 73 pressures since 2023 stand third among returning Power Four edge defenders while his 16.9% pass-rush win rate is fourth. His 82.7 run-defense grade this past season is also fourth in that same group. Bain can line up anywhere on the defensive line at 6-foot-3, 275 pounds and should remind many why he’s a first-round caliber talent now that he’s fully healthy."
Entering the 2025 season healthy, expectations will be high for Bain. Based on the PFF projections, Bain and Parker are the likely preseason All-ACC edge defenders. Bain should be named on a few preseason All-American teams. The numbers posted by PFF justify Bain being named one of the top four returning edge defenders.
Bain lost 10 pounds during the offseason and said he wants to be more flexible this season. With 10 sacks in 2025, Bain would tie Miami legend Jerome Brown for 10th in program history. In the new defense under Hetherman and healthy, Bain should have a career season in 2025.
Speaking to reporters after practice on Thursday, Bain said he is ready to take on a leadership role in 2025. Miami has a young group of edge defenders behind Bain and Mesidor. The maturation of the other players on the defensive line should help take some attention away from Bain, particularly on passing downs.
Expect Bain and Mesidor to frequently move inside on passing downs as Miami seeks to get more pass rushers on the field. Bain can improve the elite numbers he has posted through his first two collegiate seasons. If Bain improves significantly in 2025, the Miami defense should also have a big jump in 2025.
Coming off an inconsistent season defensively as a team and with Bain having an injury-plagued season a lot of the focus on Miami in 2025 will be on the defense. How well Miami performs defensively as a team and how Bain plays individually will help determine if Miami can reach its goals in 2025.