Rueben Bain Jr is Buccaneers' 2026 NFL Draft round 1 pick

Defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Bain was among draft prospects visiting the Cincinnati Bengals on April 10, according to NFL Network, along with fellow Hurricanes prospect Akheem Mesidor and Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.

Nicknamed "Hurricane," Bain was a college teammate of Bengals offensive lineman Jalen Rivers for two seasons.

What to know about Bain:

Bain played three seasons for the Hurricanes.

As a junior in 2025, Bain was named second-team Associated Press All-American, ACC defensive player of the year and first-team All-ACC.

Bain started all 16 games in his final season at Miami, recording 54 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss with 9.5 sacks, an interception, a pass breakup and a forced fumble).

Bain earned the Ted Hendricks Award, given annually to college football's top defensive end. He was a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, given to the nation's top defender with Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, Tenacity.

As a sophomore in 2024, Bain was named honorable mention all-ACC. He started nine games, and missed four games because of an injury.

A freshman All-American, Bain was named third-team all-ACC and ACC defensive rookie of the year in his first season with the 'Canes. He led the team that season with three forced fumbles, and tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks.