Todd McShay points out biggest concerns in Rueben Bain Jr. as NFL prospect

While being limited as a sophomore, Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. has had a productive career so far as an underclassman in Coral Gables. His third year at The ‘U‘ could be what then gets his name called during the first or second night of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Todd McShay broke down Bain’s game recently in a preview of defenders in this next draft class on ‘The McShay Show.’ That began with an overall outlook on what his career has been so far with the Hurricanes.

“6’3″, 276 pounds. Estimated 4.72, for whatever that’s worth right now, okay,” McShay said. “Two-year player at Miami, both years at Miami, and a starter entering his third season for the ‘Canes. In 2023, he kind of just broke out. Everyone knew he was like – I don’t know if it was a five-star or whatever (it) was, he was a big-time -star recruit. But, it didn’t take him long to take over a starting job.

“Started the final ten games for Miami. Finished with 44 tackles – this is a true freshman, eighteen years old. 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks, which ranked tops among all the defensive linemen for Miami that year, as a freshman. Hard to do. We were 18 once,” McShay continued. “Then he comes in in 2024. He suffered a soft tissue injury, is what they’re calling it, in the opener versus Florida. Didn’t come back until October 3rd against Cal. Came back and played, I thought, pretty well in that game, especially as the game went on. Started all nine games that he played last year. Obviously, fewer games – production wasn’t quite as good, though. 23 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. He missed four games and, when he came back, he’s still, you know, maybe not 100%.”

In total, Bain has 67 tackles, 19 being for loss, and 11.0 sacks along with three fumbles forced. Again, though, those statistics went down last fall as compared to his first with that injury affecting him from the start of and for the duration of last season.

Still, McShay had a lot to like about Bain as a pass rusher who could come out in the draft next spring. There were a lot of traits he saw in his evaluation that should translate for him at the next level.

“Power-based pass rusher, as you said. Snapping his hands. Core power. I thought he bends well – not elite but bends well enough,” McShay said. “One thing that stood out? It’s funny. He’s not fast. He’s not one of those guys that’s going to chase down from behind. But he’s got — and a lot of the great pass rushers do — he’s got this closing burst. If you get that quick takeoff and then you have the closing burst – like, that short area, the last three yards to the ball carrier versus the run, to the quarterback as a pass rusher. And he’s got that.

“I thought he did a really good job, like, crossing over the face of offensive tackles. Got the power to prevent offensive linemen from getting in, really sustaining. They can get in there, but they’re not gonna, like, lock on. I rarely saw, with Bain, where it was like a stalemate, like the play is over, you know what I mean? So, it was like he was always working and fighting through. I saw some like, advancing the pass rusher. I just gave a whole lecture on it with Caleb Banks on advancing the pass rush when engaged. This guy does a really good job of that.

“But, I really like his rip, and his slap move, his two-hand slap move…As you said, good core strength versus the run, upper-body power, sets the edge, disengages when he locates,” McShay went on. “I wrote this and it’s important because I put part of it in caps – really handles offensive linemen when he gets that initial leverage position. He really does.”

However, as a junior, McShay wants to see him add to his skill set in the pass rush. Part of that will come as he continues to learn, but another part is improving his movements to better finish plays when he gets there.

“I think he can continue to develop his plan sometimes and, like, his array of pass rush moves and be, like, a little bit more sudden and like, you know,” McShay said. “Here are two howevers on him. He lacks suddenness and, like, violence, strong – like, there’s a little lack of sudden, violent movement sometimes, even though he’s strong and he’s got power, he’s got snapping his hands. It’s like, I don’t know. He’s just missing – and I’m talking for the elite, right…And then the other part is less than ideal redirect quickness…I saw, there were a handful of times, a few too many, where he wins the rep, just about to get home and he winds up sliding out, like that reaching, right. So, that’s where he can improve this year.”

Bain wasn’t able to follow up a very good freshman season with the limits he had on his sophomore one. Now, if he does that a year later in his junior season already as a selection as Preseason All-ACC, McShay, barring something unknown yet, projects him to possibly be a first-round pick, while being no worse than a second-rounder the following day, in 2026.

“He does some nice things but there’s area for growth, right,” McShay said. “I’m betting on his potential, man. I really am,” McShay said. “I think Bain is another guy – like, if I had to bet right now? Later first…Won’t get out of round two unless there’s something that’s not foreseeable – medical, character, all that stuff. Won’t get out of round two.”