Pro Football Hall of Famer and Miami Hurricanes defensive line coach Jason Taylor sees NFL draft prospects Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. possessing the rare drive and passion for football to achieve greatness.
As the Miami Hurricanes undergo spring training, several former players are preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft, stepping into the next level of football. However, only a few are projected to be first-round selections, such as Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. Both edge rushers are coming off productive seasons. They combined for 117 total tackles, 68 solos and 49 assists, 33 tackles for loss, and 22 sacks.
En route to a National Championship appearance, the Hurricanes’ defensive turnaround was led by the Mesidor and Bain Jr. combo. They had an opportunity to learn under one of the most well-regarded pass rushers in football history, defensive line coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. He played 15 seasons in the NFL, 13 with the Miami Dolphins, recording 788 total tackles, 536 solos and 252 assists, 151 tackles for loss, and 139.5 sacks in 233 total games.
Coach Taylor is currently the all-time leader in fumble-recovery touchdowns with six.
As Mesidor and Bain Jr. carve out NFL careers of their own, the 51-year-old believes greatness is aligned for them.
“They got everything,” he said. “Number one, they have the mental makeup. They love football. Not to take anything from anybody in that league, but there’s a lot of guys that don’t love ball or have different motivations. There’s nothing wrong with that. Everybody has their own motivations for things, but those two guys love ball. The way they work, their love for football, the love to be successful, they fell in love with the process of being great. Everyone says they want to be great, not everyone falls in love with that process. Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die. Everyone wants to be great, but not everyone’s willing to do what it takes to be great. Those two guys love it. That’s why they’ll be really good.”
Despite Bain Jr.’s All-American season, there have been a lot of narratives surrounding his wingspan. The official measurements came to be 30 ⅞ inches. Regardless, the 21-year-old was a dominant force at the line of scrimmage. Also, he was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the Ted Hendricks Award winner. Coach Taylor believes the measurements shouldn’t factor in Bain Jr’s draft stock.
“I don’t give a damn how long somebody’s arms are,” he added. “Put on the tape.”
It’s unlikely that an organization selects both Bain Jr. and Mesidor, but the two edge rushers are projected to be impactful rookies. They learned from someone who’s accomplished so much at that level, looking to carve out a similar NFL career.
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