The Buccaneers finally found the answer to their void on the edge.
Tampa Bay selected University of Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. with the No. 15 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday in Pittsburgh.
Following the departure of Shaq Barrett (and his brief, forgettable return) in 2024, the Buccaneers have repeatedly swung and missed on veteran solutions. After posting a 19th-place finish in total defense (and 27th-place ranking against the pass), the Buccaneers decided they could no longer ignore their need at the position, spending their first-rounder on an in-state product whose measurables have polarized pundits, but presents game tape that is undeniably impressive.
Bain profiles as one of the more complex prospects in the 2026 class.
On the one hand, Bain has been one of the more disruptive defenders in college football the past three years, racking up 20.5 sacks, 33.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. He’s a tenacious rusher with great finishing ability, able to shock blockers with his unique power and work inside or outside to the quarterback. Bain also works hard as a run defender and should be able to hold up in the league with a thick, sturdy and powerful frame.
On the other hand, Bain’s sawed-off frame, with unusually short arms (30 7/8 inches) and lack of testing numbers might have scared some teams off during the pre-draft process. He lacks elite quickness and change-of-direction skills and will occasionally fall off tackle attempts. A report also emerged late in the draft process that Bain was involved in an auto crash in 2024 in which a passenger later died as a result of it.
The 6-foot-2, 263-pound Bain has the potential to be an elite rusher, able to parlay an unusual skill set into sacks and disruptive plays. Whether he reaches lofty plateaus with an unorthodox body shape and elite quickness remains to be seen, but Bain’s track record of taking down quarterbacks back to high school makes him a pass rusher worth betting on.
The Buccaneers — a team most believed would only be left with Bain’s teammate, Akheem Mesidor — decided it was a risk worth taking.
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