Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. Named to Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
In this story:
Miami Hurricanes junior defensive lineman Rueben Bain, Jr. has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented annually by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club to the top defensive player in college football.
Coming off a sophomore season in which he recorded 23 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks despite missing nearly four full games due to injury, Bain, Jr., earned All‑ACC honorable mention honors.
During an impressive 2023 freshman campaign, the Miami native posted 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks over 13 games, earning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, third-team All‑ACC distinction and multiple Freshman All‑America team selections.
Miami has produced two past winners of the Nagurski Trophy: Warren Sapp in 1994 and Dan Morgan in 2000. Bain, Jr., becomes the second Hurricane to be recognized to a major preseason watch list; Carson Beck was named to the Maxwell Award watch list earlier in the week.
The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce four finalists for the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Trophy in mid-to-late November, and the winner will be revealed at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet on Dec. 8 in Charlotte, N.C.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game.
Courtsey of Miami Athletics
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
Follow all social media platforms to stay up to date with everything Miami Hurricanes-related: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and BlueSky.
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
Follow Justice_News5