Cincinnati Bengals Draft Option Deemed Analyst's 'Strongest' Edge Prospect Ever

CINCINNATI — Rueben Bain was the talk of the town this week for his outlier small arm length, but the tape is the tape, and it's the biggest reason few other edge rushers in this class are considered better.

CBS Sports draft analyst Mike Renner thinks the Miami (FL) product is the strongest edge rusher he's scouted since starting evaluations in 2015.

"I think he's the strongest edge prospect I've scouted," Renner said on Check the Mic with Steve Palazzolo & Sam Monson. "In 2015, the first year we started that draft at PFF, just in terms of, like, play strength, the amount of reps he has where it's just like, 'Oh my gosh.' 300-plus-pound men going three to four yards because he threw him that way. It's just insane.

"Once or twice a game, he'll have a rep where just he does something crazy, including, as an 18 year old, he had one in the Pitt game where, like, he meets offensive tackle, like meets him coming forward, meets him and the offensive tackle goes backwards, like he meets him with just one long arm and the offense tackle goes backwards like three yards."

Jan 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. during media day for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 6-2, 263-pound attacker has arms 1/8 of an inch shorter than the normal threshold for a defensive end. It would be pretty stunning if that eighth of an inch ends up keeping him from being an impactful player.

He's the type of high-motor, high-character player Cincinnati is looking for.

Bain is the consensus best pass rusher in the class and could require a trade-up to go get him. It would be pretty surprising if Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin pulled that trigger.

"You’re giving up something," He said about a trade-up this week. "You’re giving up your second-round pick or your third-round pick. And we have hopes for those players, as well. And this draft really offers guys in those areas in the way that we analyze it and the way that we look at it. It might not be a super top-heavy draft. But there are a lot of guys that we can envision elevating our football team. You have to be willing to give those up. Do we have the conversations? Sure. We have them."

Check out the full comment from Renner below:

“I think Reuben Bain Jr. is the strongest EDGE prospect I’ve ever scouted… once or twice a game, he has a rep where he does something crazy.” 😳

Mike Renner explains 👇 pic.twitter.com/1xeeQyBLSc
— Check the Mic with Steve Palazzolo & Sam Monson (@CTM_Show) February 28, 2026

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