The Rueben Bain Jr. era is hitting Tampa Bay in full force, as expected. Already poised to contend for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bain Jr. is showing everything the Buccaneers wanted to see from him when they drafted him No. 15 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The entire building is buying into the Bain Jr. hype because they see the progress he’s made so far. Head coach Todd Bowles has spent the entire offseason singing praises of the football IQ Bain Jr. flashed in the offseason practice sessions.
Jenna Laine of ESPN further described how Bowles and even quarterback Trevor Lawrence were delighted by the progress Bain has made so far.
Todd Bowles Lauds Rueben Bain Jr’s Football IQ
“For me, it is his intelligence, his understanding of the game,” coach Todd Bowles said.
One of the big reasons Bain Jr. fell in the 2026 NFL Draft was his arm length. His arms are much shorter than those of a typical edge rusher, and teams must have been nervous that he could not handle the excessive length that comes from offensive tackles in the NFL.
However, the Miami linebacker has crushed every doubt surrounding his limitations. Bain proved he is smart enough to understand his shortcomings and still manage to get around them, putting himself in a position to succeed.
That is exactly the type of mental acumen Bowles praised, especially since he’s still a rookie.
“There are some things that you cannot teach, and he does not learn like a normal rookie, and he does some things that a three- or four-year guy can do.”
Bain’s stats from last year at Miami reflect exactly what Bowles means by “things that a three- or four-year guy can do.”
Bain led the entire country with 83 quarterback pressures last season, according to PFF, showcasing a relentless motor and an array of pass-rush moves that tore up the ACC.
Laine further noted how during the first team period of the first day of mandatory minicamp, Bain batted down an outside-the-pocket throw from quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Tampa Bay hasn’t had a single player record double-digit sacks since 2021. The pass rush has been the primary Achilles’ heel of Todd Bowles’ defense for years.
For a defense that hasn’t seen a double-digit sack artist since 2021, Bain’s instant maturity isn’t just a luxury—it’s an emergency answer to a multi-year pass-rush drought.
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