Rueben Bain's slipping stock could be draft delight for Lions

Q: Who is Rueben Bain and why is he a potential pick for the Detroit Lions?

Rueben Bain is a defensive end from Miami, and he is being considered as a potential first-round pick for the Detroit Lions due to his impressive performance in college.

Q: What is the significance of the Detroit Lions' 17th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?

The 17th overall pick is significant as it represents the Lions' highest selection since they chose running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 in 2023.

Q: When does the 2026 NFL Draft begin?

The 2026 NFL Draft is set to begin on April 23, 2026.

Q: What position does Rueben Bain play and what are his strengths?

Rueben Bain plays as a defensive end, and he is known for his ability to pressure quarterbacks and disrupt opposing offenses.

Draft month, finally, has arrived.

Continuing our series, which began earlier this month and will run until the 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23, The Detroit News will spotlight one prospect a day who could be a first-round fit for the Detroit Lions, who own the 17th overall pick. Assuming the Lions don't trade out, it'll be their highest selection since running back Jahmyr Gibbs went No. 12 in 2023.

Today's focus is on Miami defensive end Rueben Bain.

Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) sacks Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field.

By the numbers

▶ In 2025, led FBS in pressures (83), the most by any player since 2017

▶ Registered 20 ½ sacks with 33 ½ tackles-for-loss over three college seasons

▶ Instant contributor at Miami, recording 44 combined tackles, 12 ½ tackles-for-loss and 7 ½ sacks in freshman season

▶ 30 ⅞-inch arms worry scouts

Rueben Bain career background

Bain was a devastating force at Miami Central High School and enrolled at Miami as a four-star prospect after registering 58½ sacks over his last two prep seasons and helping Central to four consecutive state championships. He was the No. 71 prospect nationally and No. 15 prospect in the state of Florida, per 247Sports. He was selected to play in the Under Armour All-American Game in 2022.

In joining his hometown Hurricanes, Bain continued a family legacy; his uncle, Tolbert Bain, played defensive back at Miami from 1983-87 and won a national championship.

Rueben Bain immediately made the family name proud, making the starting lineup in Miami’s third game and never giving up the starting job over his tenure. He made 44 combined tackles and recorded 12½ tackles-for-loss with 7½ sacks on 45 pressures en route to being named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Freshman All-American.

A soft-tissue injury cost Bain some time the next season, when his production dipped over the eight games he played. He finished with just 3½ sacks, including only one in his team’s last five games.

Bain rebounded majorly in 2025, spearheading Miami’s best season since 2003. He tallied an FBS-leading 83 pressures to go with 9½ sacks and 15½ tackles-for-loss. He was at his absolute best over the most critical four-game stretch of his life, recording five sacks and 24 pressures during the College Football Playoff, including a three-sack performance in the first round at Texas A&M.

Bain had a season-high eight tackles with 2½ for loss and one sack during the title game, which Miami lost to Indiana, 27-21.

Earlier this week, it was reported by The Read Optional that Bain was involved in a fatal traffic accident in March 2024 in which Bain’s vehicle struck another on the highway. One of the passengers in Bain’s car suffered “incapacitating injuries” and entered a coma before dying three months later. According to multiple NFL insiders, the situation was known to NFL teams, even though it just became public. The news is not expected to hurt his draft stock.

The deceased's family said in a statement to The Read Optional that while "the loss remains incredibly painful for our family, we have worked hard to find peace and move forward."

Added the family, "At this time, we are not seeking public attention surrounding this tragedy and respectfully request that our family’s privacy be honored. We also wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career."

Rueben Bain analysis

Bain is a well-rounded edge defender who dominated at the college level, but his physical traits raise questions about how his game will translate to the NFL. The main concern with Bain is his arm length. They’re a full 1¼ inches shorter than those of Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, whose arm length was heavily scrutinized during his pre-draft process. Hutchinson’s arms were on a 6-foot-7 frame, while Bain is 6-foot-3 — another knock against him.

Bain has managed to overcome this so far by putting his exceptional quickness, leverage and hands to work. He gets into the chest of offensive linemen quickly, taking control of the rep and refusing to stop his hunt for the ballcarrier until it's finished. The tools Bain does possess have allowed him to make college tackles look silly: a powerful bull rush and the ability to win with speed, which help him set up a variety of other moves where his hands find the victory.

"As a pass rusher, he lacks an elite get-off, but he wins with leverage, power and polish," NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah writes. "He launches out of his four-point stance, uproots offensive tackles and forces open one of their shoulders to get to the quarterback. He has a nasty chop/rip move, violent hump move and nifty Euro step."

Bain is also known for his relentless motor and his effort against the run, a big plus for any team, but especially one like the Lions, who place a particularly high value on both.

As for the knocks against Bain’s game, many of them have to do with his frame and arm length. NFL tackles will have better answers for his strength and possess the technique to challenge his hand usage. He also had 18 missed tackles over his last two seasons, including a missed tackle rate of 25.9% in 2024, per Pro Football Focus.

"Bain isn’t the picture-perfect embodiment of what NFL teams covet in a pass rusher," The Athletic’s Dane Brugler said. "But he consistently deconstructs blocks with power and is a tough player to slow down."

Will Bain actually be available for the Lions to draft at pick No. 17? For the longest time, it felt like a long shot. Bain was routinely projected to go in the top 10 and could still potentially be one of the first defenders taken.

On the other hand, chatter about his arm length intensified around the combine, and his stock has started to dip, which is another way of saying analysts have caught up to the league-wide sentiment and adjusted their projections accordingly. NFL Mock Draft Database’s collection of big boards had Bain as the draft’s No. 3 player from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, the week of the combine. He's slowly began to fall in the following weeks. He’s now the No. 8 player on the consensus big board — still out of Detroit’s range, but if he falls past the top 10, the Lions could be inclined to move up for him.