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NFL Draft 2026 results: Every pick from Round 1
Highlights from the 2026 NFL Draft Round 1: Top picks and surprises!
Yahoo Sports1 min read
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Rueben Bain Jr. selected by Buccaneers with 15th pick after a draft fall, weeks after fatal car crash report surfaced
TL;DR
Rueben Bain Jr. was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 15th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft despite a recent negative report about his involvement in a fatal car crash. He was initially projected as a top five pick but fell due to the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Key points
- Rueben Bain Jr. was selected 15th overall by the Buccaneers.
- He was considered a top prospect before a fatal car crash report emerged.
- Bain was driving when the crash occurred, resulting in a passenger's death.
Destiny BettsRueben Bain Jr.Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was always thought to be an elite prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, and a late-breaking story that painted him in a negative light didnāt prevent the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from selecting Bain with the No. 15 overall pick Thursday night.
Bain began the process as a potential top five pick, but kept falling on Thursday night as other prospects went ahead of him. The Buccaneers, who had a big need at edge rusher, had to be surprised and thrilled to see Bain available when they went on the clock with the 15th pick.
Throughout most of the draft process, Bain was considered one of the top prospects on the board and one of the elite pass rushers available. But reports emerged in mid-April that Bain was involved in a fatal 2024 car crash.
Bain was reportedly driving the car when he hit another car and collided with concrete barriers on the freeway. One of the passengers in Bainās car, 22-year-old Destiny Betts, sustained injuries in the crash and died three months later after spending three months in a coma.
Bain was cited for careless driving immediately following the crash. That citation, however, was dismissed two weeks prior to Bettsā death. Field sobriety tests were reportedly not performed at the crash scene, per The Read Optional.
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Given the timing of that report coming to light, some wondered whether NFL teams would pass on Bain given his involvement in the fatal crash. But while his role in the crash was unknown by the general public, NFL teams knew about it for months, Yahoo Sportsā Jori Epstein detailed in a story. Epstein wrote on April 16:
Most evaluators believe Bain leaving the board in the top 10 is the most likely possibility, though some evaluators believe he projects more clearly in the 15-to-20 range. If Bain is drafted in the second half of the first round, evaluators will not view that as related to his driving history. They will view it first and foremost as a reflection of teamsā concern with his 30 ā -inch arm length measurement at the combine.
Q&A
What happened in the fatal car crash involving Rueben Bain Jr.?
Rueben Bain Jr. was reportedly driving a car that collided with another vehicle and concrete barriers, resulting in injuries to a passenger who later died after a coma.
Why did Rueben Bain Jr. fall in the NFL Draft despite being a top prospect?
Bain's draft stock dropped due to negative reports about his involvement in a fatal car crash, which raised concerns among teams.
What were the details of the citation against Rueben Bain Jr. after the crash?
Bain was cited for careless driving immediately following the crash, but this citation was dismissed two weeks before the passenger's death.
