A former Miami Hurricanes prospect praises Rueben Bain Jr.'s elite talent and drive, highlighting his speed and bend as key traits for NFL success.
As the NFL Combine is in a few weeks, the Super Bowl is this upcoming Sunday. There will be a couple of Miami Hurricanes alumni: New England Patriots kicker Andres Borregales and Seattle Seahawks tight end Elija Arroyo, both rookies who appeared in 10-plus regular-season games.
Both sides held Super Bowl Media Day on Monday, and Patriots practice squad interior tackle Leonard Taylor III spoke about up-and-coming edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and what NFL teams should expect from him.
"He's an elite player," he told Omaha Production. "He's going to give you 100 percent every single day. He's coachable, great in the locker room, and team player. At the end of the day, he wants to help the team win."
Taylor spent three seasons with the Hurricanes, played in 31 games, 19 starts, recording 64 total tackles, 25 solos and 39 assists, 23.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, one interception, and one pass defended. When he was a junior, Bain Jr. was a freshman and caught an early glimpse of what the four-star high school recruit was capable of.
"This kid [has] some speed to him," Taylor added. "I [saw] how he was able to bend the edges, and I was like 'We got one right here."
Bain Jr. is coming off an All-American season, starting in all 16 games, recording 54 total tackles, 30 solos and 24 assists, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one pass broken up, two passes defended, and one interception. He was named the Ted Hendricks Award Winner on Wednesday, Jan. 28, which is annually presented to the best defensive end in college football.
Also, the 21-year-old was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and earned First-Team All-ACC honors.
Bain Jr. is projected to be an early first-round selection, with some NFL mock drafts having the Kansas City Chiefs, who have the 10th pick, as a potential destination. He would be a great addition to what was already a strong defensive unit this past regular season.
The Hurricanes have a rich history with NFL prospects, developing numerous first-round selections, with quarterback Cam Ward being the latest, first pick of the 2025 draft.
Edge rusher Akheem Mesidor and right tackle Francis Mauigoa are projected as early first-round selections, just like Bain Jr.
The Combine will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Lucas Oil Stadium, from Feb. 23 to March 2. The NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the first round being on April 23.
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