We proceed our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that would curiosity the Dallas Cowboys. Today we’re edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami.
Rueben Bain Jr.
DE
Miami
Junior
4-star recruit
6’3”
275 lbs
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History
Rueben Bain Jr. grew up in Miami in a soccer household with deep South Florida roots. His grandfather, Herman Bain starred as a three-sport quarterback at Northwestern High within the Nineteen Sixties, his father Rueben Bain Sr. was a standout lineman at Carol City, who earned the nickname Hurricane. And Tolbert Bain, cousin to Rueben, performed defensive again at Miami and was a part of the Hurricanes’ 1987 nationwide title staff. In highschool, Bain grew to become a Miami Central legend and one of the crucial productive move rushers the world has produced in years. He helped lead Miami Central to 4 state titles and completed with 77 profession sacks, and due to his efforts he received the 2022 Nat Moore Trophy (South Florida’s prime participant). It took Bain no time to decide on Miami as his school staff and he joined as a four-star recruit.
As a real freshman in 2023, Bain made a direct influence and rapidly transitioned from rotational piece to centerpiece. He completed the 2023 season with 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks throughout and three pressured fumbles throughout 13 video games. Against Clemson he posted a career-high eight tackles with two sacks and earned ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week and ACC Rookie of the Week. The following week in opposition to Virginia he produced seven extra tackles, 2.5 TFL and two extra sacks. The spectacular season earned him ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-America honors.
In 2024, Bain’s season was formed by sturdiness and availability as a lot as efficiency. He missed 4 video games as a result of damage however nonetheless earned All-ACC Honorable Mention and began in all 9 video games he performed, ending with 23 tackles, 5.5 TFL, and three.5 sacks.
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In 2025, Bain elevated from prime prospect to nationally defining defender throughout Miami’s playoff run. Across the complete 2025 schedule, he logged 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks, and he added an interception return for 12 yards. His season earned him All-American honors, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and have become a participant who drew vital safety consideration whereas nonetheless producing splash performs. His standout second got here within the playoff run with the win over Texas A&M, the place Bain recorded three sacks, 4 TFL, 5 tackles, and even blocked a discipline objective. On the nationwide championship stage, Bain was one of many sport’s best defenders even in a loss. He made eight tackles, one sack, and a couple of.5 tackles for loss, proving on the most important stage he may produce unusually high-volume
2025 Statistics
897 Defensive Snaps
83 Total Pressures
68 QB Hits
54 Total Tackles
16 TFL
9.5 Sack
1 PBU
1 INT
1 FF
5 Penalties
Snap by Postion
B-Gap- 1%
C-Gap- 13%
OLB- 85%
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NFL Combine/Pro Day
N/A
Awards
2023 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year
2023 All-ACC Third Team
2023 Freshman All-American
2024 All-ACC Honorable Mention
2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year
2025 First-Team All-ACC
2025 All-America
Scorecard
Overall– 93
Speed- 83
Acceleration- 95
Agility- 86
Strength- 87
Tackling- 73
Run Defense- 90
Pass Rush- 97
Discipline- 92
THE GOOD
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Explosive first step and get-off that persistently beats tackles
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Violent, heavy fingers with actual shock on first contact
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High-end speed-to-power conversion and a official bull rush
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Plays with sturdy leverage
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Plays with elite pad stage for a compact edge
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Sturdy on the level of assault and units and controls the C-gap successfully
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Ability to shed and end close to the road of scrimmage
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Can bend the nook with out drifting excessively
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Very environment friendly with rush angles and may win high-side with a good monitor
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Functional pass-rush repertoire and instruments past energy
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Relentless motor and pursuit effort
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Consistent disruption over a number of years
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Competitive temperament and management
THE BAD
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Sub-ideal size and arm size that may present up versus NFL tackles with attain
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Tweener construct will pressure NFL groups to be intentional about alignment
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Gap self-discipline and lane integrity may be inconsistent as he’ll gamble and vacate his rush lane
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He can win early with burst and violence, however wants a extra reliable second-and-third transfer plan when the preliminary strike is absorbed.
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Tackling effectivity, missed tackles have been a difficulty
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Durability questions after an injury-impacted 2024 season
THE FIT
Bain initiatives greatest as an attacking front-seven piece in a good entrance the place he can stay on the sting however be moved round to fabricate matchups, primarily a 4-3 defensive finish who can rush as a wide-9 on passing downs for get-off and speed-to-power, then scale back inside over guards as a 3-tech/4i in sub packages.
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SUMMARY
Bain brings an NFL-ready mix of early-down edge-setting and high-end disruption. He’s a dense, leverage-driven rusher who wins with first-step urgency into contact, heavy fingers, and speed-to-power that collapses the pocket moderately than purely operating the arc. His motor and play power journey snap-to-snap, and his ability set helps assorted utilization as a base finish on early downs with the flexibility to scale back inside over guards in sub packages to emphasize protections with energy and hand quickness. That versatility is a significant a part of his worth and it matches why so many evaluators preserve him within the prime tier of their huge boards.
What he wants to enhance on is generally about ending and professional translation moderately than effort. He should tighten his rush strikes (having a extra computerized second and third reply when the primary strike is absorbed), keep extra disciplined with rush-lane integrity so quarterbacks don’t discover escape alleys when he hunts splash performs, and proceed enhancing his tackling effectivity when he’s pressured to deal with in area. Teams may even interrogate the prototype questions that comply with compact energy edges, how persistently he can preserve separation and management reps versus longer NFL tackles, and whether or not he can maintain up for full-time quantity with out sporting down.
The market proper now views Bain as a prime of the draft defender and a possible early first-round choice, with a sensible draft window within the prime ten, relying on staff wants and the way golf equipment weight the premium edge profile. What which means for Dallas at their draft place is they might have too greater than possible commerce as much as seize Bain, however with so many choices and positions to fill on the protection this is able to be a troublesome transfer to elucidate. Is there an opportunity Bain falls to Dallas given the query marks? We take you again to 2020 and CeeDee Lamb falling to 17, so there’s each likelihood Bain may very well be there. If he does, Bain turns into the most effective participant on the board at that time and fills a large want on the protection, instantly upgrading the roster and offering a lot want move rush stress that was lacking in 2025.
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COMPARISON
Brandon Graham
BTB OVERALL RANKING
2nd
CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING
third
(Consensus rating based mostly on the common rating from 90 main scoring companies, together with BTB)