Why Rueben Bain Jr. is this commentator’s top 2026 NFL Draft defensive prospect

Apr 8, 2026 - 23:30

When it comes to the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, the hardest to evaluate might just be Reuben Bain Jr. out of Miami.

On tape, Bain Jr. might just be the best pass rusher in this year’s class, a certified force of nature off the edge for the Hurricanes who amassed 121 tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss, and 20.5 sacks over just 38 games in an orange and green uniform.

And yet, because Bain Jr.’s arms measured in at under 31 inches at the combine, a massive outlier for his position, some fear that he simply won’t be able to cleanly navigate edge responsibilities at the NFL level against professional tackles.

Is Bain Jr. a potential steal outside of the top-5? Or a risky pick when more “sure things” like Arvell Reese and David Bailey are potentially available? Well, in an appearance on ESPN’s NFL Draft Daily, Sportcenter’s “Stanford” Steve Coughlin firmly put his vote into the former box, noting that he believes Bain is the best pass rusher in this year’s class.

“I’m in the minority, I have him at the top,” Coughlin said. “I know there’s a lot of miles on the tires for him, and I get that’s what people are going to point to. And again, as I mentioned, the arm length, I just look as a complete ball player and a leader and what he brings to the table, talking to guys on that Miami staff, and seeing him so many times in person this year. He’s one, one of my favorite players in the draft.”

From a purely football perspective, it’s hard to argue with Stanford Steve, as Fernando Mendoza will be the first to admit that Bain was a problem on the grandest stage in the sport, the National Championship game. While some teams may pass due to his measurables, all it takes is one general manager to call Bain’s number, and just like that, his NFL journey will begin.

"He's one of my favorite players in the draft."@StanfordSteve82 thinks Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. is a complete player pic.twitter.com/wFp397ksQY
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 8, 2026