Edge Rusher Rueben Bain Jr. Takes Over Games (Whenever he Feels Like it)

Unblockable.

That’s the one word that best describes University of Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. when he flips the switch on.

It’s brutal.

Watching him cut through blockers when he’s on is like watching an angry big man take a stack of dinner plates and smash them against the kitchen floor.

Bain delivers sharp and devastating collisions.

What percentage of the time is he “on?”

60%.

What’s it like watching him the rest of the time?

Ho-hum, but does anyone really care?

People focus on what Bain looks like when he’s on. The guy did produce a four-minute and nine-second 2025 highlight tape.

Not too shabby.

I’ll be the first to admit, when Bain is on, it’s worth the price of admission. This isn’t about minimizing that at all, but it’s not just about his highlights either. It’s about examining his full body of work and trying to gain an understanding of what he’s going to look like when he snaps the chin strap of his NFL helmet.

“Bain Time”

That’s what I like to call it.

Bain is just different 60% of the time.

There’s this eagerness and energy in his stance, whether he’s standing up off the edge or he’s got both hands and his fingers down in the dirt. Either way, he looks trigger-happy.

Ball’s snapped ⎯

And Bain looks like he was shot out of a cannon. It’s awesome to watch how fast he can get all that mass moving in the right direction.

While he typically matches up against right tackles, sometimes he flips it and lines up against left tackles. Doesn’t matter. While he has a toolbox full of pass-rushing moves, he’s got his signature pass rush when he fires into the back door of the pocket lickety-split. He then uses his lightning-fast hands to neutralize the offensive tackle’s hands, dropping his weight and dipping under the tackle’s pad level while simultaneously turning the corner, with the quarterback in his crosshairs.

Bain’s bend is breathtaking.

It’s the same type of thing against the run when he’s on. He will not be denied.

The other 40% of the time…

Bain disappears.

It looks like he’s taking a breather while still being on the field against the pass and the run. It’s as frustrating as it is disappointing, and it’s a pattern (and not just for this season; the same thing showed up in my 2024 season-long film study).

It’s a part of who he is.

The words of my NFL scouting mentor ring in my head as I write this: “When somebody shows you who they are, believe them!”

War-room talk

Can we live with Bain going all out 60% of the time and hitting the snooze button on the other 40% of the plays?

That’s the question NFL teams will need to answer in their pre-draft meetings.

I’ll say this ⎯

Bain’s 100% on 60% of the plays moves the meter.

And that’s what it’s all about.

#4 Rueben Bain Jr. 6-foot-3, 275 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2026 NFL Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be a First Round prospect as of January 26, 2026

Hurricanes’ Rueben Bain Jr. Gets Into the Quarterback’s Head (2024: 9 games evaluated)

2025 game film evaluated: Notre Dame, Bethune-Cookman, USF, Florida, FSU, Louisville, Stanford, SMU, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Pitt, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Indiana (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

PFF (2025): 12 sacks and 68 hurries

ESPN (2025): 54 tackles (30 solo), 1 forced fumble

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Stout wide alpha brute who lines up outside or can slide inside and hold his own. Quarterback-minded. Inconsistent get off. Throws his weight around. Extreme power. Understands the art of leverage. Presses the edge hard. Straight-line pass rusher. Below average pocket adjust. Swim, slap-and-go, rip, and club pass rush moves. Powerful bull rush. Runs “X” stunts. Drew 63 double-teams and three triple-teams in pass rush situations. Can split doubles. Too slow reactions. Can be fooled by play misdirection. Strong tackler. Inconsistent shed vs. run. One penalty all season (off-sides).

Final words

Having Bain on defense is like taking a sledgehammer to the opponent’s pocket.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. Featured in USA Today. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.