There is something about a player with a chip on their shoulder that makes me want to stay away from them as an opponent. But as a fan, it’s exactly what I want to see. When you add a frame of 6’3″ and 270 lbs of pure muscle to that mindset, you get Rueben Bain Jr. Anyone standing in front of him this season needs to say a little prayer.
Originally projected to be a locked-in top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the former Miami Hurricane unexpectedly slid down the board to 15th overall. While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were thrilled to land a “generational” pass rusher in the middle of the first round, Bain was clearly not sharing their joy on draft night.
The Draft Day Slide
In a recent breakdown by Taylor Lewan, the former Pro Bowler pointed out just how “pissed off” Bain looked about his slide. That level of frustration from a player of Bain’s caliber is dangerous. At Miami, he was a nightmare for offensive coordinators. Racking up 20.5 sacks over three seasons and leading the nation in quarterback pressures. He possesses a rare blend of low center of gravity and explosive hand power. He is like Mike Tyson on the field.
Rookie of the Year Prediction
This is exactly why I am predicting that Rueben Bain Jr. will win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The league has been warned. A motivated “Hurricane” is heading to Tampa. Best believe he’s looking to put the NFL on notice. Beware.
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