Bucs land a battering ram of a pass rusher in Rueben Bain Jr.

The Buccaneers have selected edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami with the 15th pick of the 2026 draft, and they’re getting a versatile player who can get after the quarterback from just about anywhere.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Stats & Accolades

• 2023: (13 games played, 10 starts), 44 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, pass defended, three forced fumbles, ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, Third-Team All-ACC
• 2024: (9 games played, 9 starts), 23 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks
• 2025: (16 games played, 16 starts), 54 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, interception, pass defended, forced fumble, Consensus All-American, Ted Hendricks Award winner, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-ACC

What the Buccaneers are getting:

A short-armed battering ram who showed that some physical limitations can be overcome by pure determination and effort. Bain was the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year after a highly productive career at The U that saw him hit the ground running as a freshman. Scouts love his temperament and note his elite attention to detail when dissecting his enemy during the week’s preparation. Some scouts will be turned off by his lack of length, but this is a player that makes you not want to bet against him.

Strengths

• Looks like the total package if not for the lack of prototypical length and size
• Being coached by NFL HoF pas rusher Jason Taylor shows in his attention to detail and technique
• Hits like a cannonball into the chest of tackles
• Hits the decks when turning corners to minimize surface area

Weakness

• Very short arms (30 ⅞” at the NFL Combine)
• Lack of length will make it hard to keep chest and eyesight clear
• Middling closing burst to quarterback
• Does not have speed to pursue outside the box

Athletic Testing/Measurables

• Height: 6’2”
• Weight: 263 pounds
• 40-yard dash: N/A
• 10-yard split: N/A
• Vertical jump: N/A
• Broad jump: N/A