Rueben Bain Jr.
Bain in 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position Linebacker
Roster status Unsigned draft pick
Personal information
Born (2004-09-08) September 8, 2004 (age 21)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Listed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight 263 lb (119 kg)
Career information
High school Miami Central
College Miami (FL) (2023–2025)
NFL draft 2026: 1st round, 15th overall
Career history
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2026–present)
Awards and highlights
  • Ted Hendricks Award (2025)
  • Consensus All-American (2025)
  • ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2025)
  • ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year (2023)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Rueben Ellis Bain Jr. (born September 8, 2004) is an American professional football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and was selected by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Early life

Bain Jr. was born on September 8, 2004, in Miami, Florida.[1] He attended Jupiter Community High School in Jupiter, Florida, later transferring to Miami Central Senior High School in Miami, Florida.[2] During his high school career he had 77 sacks.[3] He was the Miami Herald 5A-IND Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a junior in 2021 and won the Nat Moore Trophy, given South Florida's best player, his senior year in 2022.[4][5] He played in the 2023 Under Armour All-America Game.[6] Bain Jr. committed to the University of Miami to play college football.[7]

College career

Bain Jr. earned immediate playing time his true freshman year at Miami in 2023.[8] He became a starter after Akheem Mesidor suffered an injury during the second game of the season.[9] He played in all 13 games and finished with 44 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles.[10] He was named ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and was also selected to the All-ACC Third Team.[11][12]

In the first game of his sophomore year Bain Jr. suffered a soft-tissue injury on the opening drive and missed the rest of the game and the next four.[13][14] For the season he had 23 total tackles and 3.5 sacks.[15]

In the first round of the College Football Playoffs Bain Jr. recorded three sacks, four tackles for loss, and a blocked field goal in a 10-3 win over Texas A&M.[16] He played in all 16 games, recording 54 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and one interception.[17] He was named first-Team All-ACC and won ACC Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Hurricane to ever win the award.[18][19] Bain also won the Ted Hendricks award, becoming the first to win the award in school history.[20]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span Wingspan
6 ft 2+1⁄4 in
(1.89 m)		 263 lb
(119 kg)		 30+7⁄8 in
(0.78 m)		 9+1⁄8 in
(0.23 m)		 6 ft 5+1⁄2 in
(1.97 m)
All values from NFL Combine[21][22]

Bain Jr. was selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft with the 15th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[23][24]

Personal life

On March 17, 2024, Bain Jr. was involved in a car accident in Miami. He was driving four passengers in his car on Interstate 95 at 4 A.M EDT when his vehicle struck another car. One passenger, Destiny Betts, a 22-year old from Georgia visiting Miami on spring break, suffered incapacitating injuries from the crash and was taken to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Betts went into a coma due to injuries suffered in the crash and died on June 13, 2024.[25]

Career statistics

College

Legend
Bold Career high
Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
GP GS Cmb Solo Ast TFL Sck FF FR Yds TD Int Yds TD PD
2023 Miami 13 11 44 23 21 12.5 7.5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
2024 Miami 9 9 23 14 9 5.5 3.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025 Miami 16 16 54 30 24 15.5 9.5 1 0 0 0 1 12 0 1
Career 38 36 121 67 54 33.5 20.5 4 0 0 0 1 12 0 2

References

  1. ^ Brugler, Dane (April 8, 2026). "The Beast: 2026 NFL Draft Guide". The Athletic. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  2. ^ Navarro, Manny (August 29, 2022). "Miami, Alabama or Oklahoma? The patient approach of sack master Rueben Bain in picking a college". The Athletic. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  3. ^ "The birth of a 'Hurricane': How UM commit Rueben Bain became a record-setting sack master". Miami Herald.
  4. ^ "Central DL Rueben Bain is Miami-Dade County Defensive Player of the Year for 2M-1M". Miami Herald.
  5. ^ "Record-setting Central DE Rueben Bain wins Nat Moore Trophy as South Florida's top player". Miami Herald.
  6. ^ "Rueben Bain Played His Best Against the Best". Sports Illustrated. January 4, 2023.
  7. ^ "Miami Central star Rueben Bain picks hometown Hurricanes over FSU". South Florida Sun Sentinel. December 14, 2022.
  8. ^ "Hurricanes' 'monster' freshman Rueben Bain generating hype before first college season". South Florida Sun Sentinel. August 17, 2023.
  9. ^ "Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. proving he's one of the nation's top freshmen". South Florida Sun Sentinel. October 12, 2023.
  10. ^ "Rueben Bain Jr. 2023 Game Log". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  11. ^ Gables, Coral (November 29, 2023). "Bain, Jr. Earns ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year". Miami Hurricanes. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  12. ^ "Atlantic Coast Conference Announces 2023 All-ACC Conference Football Teams". theACC.com. November 28, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  13. ^ Lichtenstein, Adam (August 31, 2024). "Hurricanes star Rueben Bain Jr. misses most of UM's win over Florida, expected back soon". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  14. ^ Lichtenstein, Adam (September 30, 2024). "Hurricanes star Rueben Bain Jr. set to play against Cal, Mario Cristobal says". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  15. ^ "Rueben Bain Jr. 2024 Game Log". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  16. ^ Long, Corey (December 20, 2025). "Rueben Bain made Texas A&M eat their words in style for Miami". Canes Warning. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  17. ^ "Rueben Bain Jr. 2025 Game Log". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  18. ^ "ACC Announces 2025 All-ACC Football Teams". theACC.com. December 2, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  19. ^ Gables, Coral (December 3, 2025). "Bain named ACC Defensive Player of the Year". Miami Hurricanes. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  20. ^ Gables, Coral (January 28, 2026). "Bain Jr. Named Ted Hendricks Award Winner". Miami Hurricanes. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  21. ^ "Rueben Bain Jr. Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  22. ^ "Rueben Bain Jr. College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  23. ^ Smith, Scott (April 23, 2026). "Bucs Thrilled to Land Relentless Pass Rusher Rueben Bain Jr. in First Round". buccaneers.com. Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
  24. ^ Shook, Nick (April 23, 2026). "2026 NFL Draft: Buccaneers pick Miami LB Rueben Bain Jr. with No. 15 overall selection". NFL.com. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
  25. ^ Holleran, Andrew (April 12, 2026). "NFL Teams 'Investigating' Fatal Crash Involving Reuben Bain". The Spun. Archived from the original on April 12, 2026. Retrieved April 12, 2026.