NFL draft hopeful Rueben Bain Jr.'s tragic past collision and its looming draft impact. Insider details how teams weigh the incident.
Miami Hurricanes’ star edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. is widely considered a top-10 prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft. The 21-year-old had an All-American season: 54 total tackles, 30 solos and 24 assists, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a pass broken up, two passes defended, and a 12-yard interception in the home opener against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. However, controversy surrounds him after a newsletter was published about a fatal car accident from March 17, 2024.
Written by Ollie Connolly for The Optional Reading, the article sheds light on a tragic event when Bain Jr. was a sophomore at the University of Miami. The accident left Destiny Betts, a 22-year-old student visiting from Georgia, suffering incapacitating injuries and she spent three months in a coma before being declared dead on June, 13, 2024.
The piece was published on Sunday, April 12, as the NFL Draft is nine days away. ESPN insider Adam Schefter shared the latest insight on how the past instance could affect the Miami native’s status.
“They have factored it into their evaluations of where they would take Rueben Bain Jr.,” he said on SportsCenter. “The story has come out, obviously, there will be a public reaction. We’ll see whether that influences team selection next week in Pittsburgh, where Bain is widely expected to be selected amongst the top 12 picks in this draft, very potentially a top-10 pick. If, for some reason, he slides at all, it will likely be due to other factors, such as his arm size. His arms were a question at the Combine in Indianapolis. In terms of this incident back in 2024, this is something that every NFL team had done lots of work on, lots of background checks, leading up to the draft next week. This does not surprise them in any way.”
For any highly-touted prospect, including Bain Jr., it’s extremely difficult to hide any past instances. From the accident, he was charged with careless driving, which was dropped two weeks before Betts had passed away. There was no finding of criminal liability connected with the crash or her death.
Detroit Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes, who owns the 17th pick in the first round of the draft, revealed that the organization was already aware of the situation.
“We’ve known that for a while,” he said. “That doesn’t really change anything from our standpoint.”
Betts’ family issued a statement in the newsletter:
“Destiny’s passing was the result of a tragic accident that occurred several years ago. While the loss remains incredibly painful for our family, we have worked hard to find peace and move forward. At this time, we are not seeking public attention surrounding this tragedy and respectfully request that our family’s privacy be honored. We also wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career.”
Bain Jr. will be in attendance at the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He’s been linked to numerous teams among the top picks, including the Kansas City Chiefs, who currently own No. 9. The first day of the event will take place on Thursday, April 23. It will be streaming on the NFL Network, ESPN, and ABC.
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