The Buccaneers landed a "five-tool" defensive talent unexpectedly. Discover why this top prospect can dominate the line of scrimmage.
Not many people expected the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to draft Rueben Bain Jr.
This isn't because the Bucs weren't thought to be interested in him-- quite the opposite.
Bain, a standout defensive end from the University of Miami, was one of the top-rated prospects in the draft, and with Tampa not picking until No. 15, it was expected that the Bucs would need to trade into the top 10 to get him, maybe even the top five.
But when pick No. 15 came around, Bain was there, and the Bucs took advantage.
Knowing they needed an edge rusher, general manager Jason Licht, who told reporters he "would be lying" if he said he thought Bain was going to be available at 15, was more than happy to take him.
When talking with reporters Friday, the day after Bain's selection, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles described Bain as the defensive end equivalent of a five-tool player in baseball.
"Pass rushers come in different ways and different types and different sizes," Bowles said. "Some are power, some are speed, some have an arsenal, some can bend, some can't. He can do it all. He can do it all, and he shows that up and down the line of scrimmage."
Bowles also said that Bain's mentality is right for the NFL and right for what the Bucs are trying to do defensively.
Tampa ranked 20th in the league in scoring defense in 2025, and with the Haason Reddick signing not working out as hoped (Reddick had just 2.5 sacks last year), the Bucs went into the offseason knowing they needed to add depth on the edge behind Yaya Diaby (seven sacks in 2025).
The Bucs addressed the position in free agency, where they signed Al-Quadin Muhammed (11 sacks for the Detroit Lions in 2025), and many expected the Bucs to address it again with their first-round pick.
They didn't think Bain would be the guy.
So what made Bain a player, some felt, was a top-five talent?
Well, he was consistently productive at Miami, picking up 20.5 sacks over three seasons and 9.5 in 2025 alone. Bain ended 2025 with 15.5 tackles for loss, which ranked in the top 15 nationally, and was a consensus first-team All-American.
Bain (6-foot-2, 263 pounds) has said that he feels he can play anywhere on the defensive line, and during his first interview after being drafted, which took place with ESPN, he said that he knows there's nobody better than him, and he's going to prove it.
The Bucs sure hope he's right. Although Bain fell further than most expected him to, it's still the highest draft pick the Bucs have spent on an edge rusher in the Licht era, which began in 2014. The reason Bain fell could be related to a car accident that he was involved with in 2024 where his passenger died. He was cited for careless driving.
Linebacker Lavonte David had been the face of Tampa's defense, and now that he's retired, the Bucs need a new face.
Bain just might be the one.
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