What Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. Could Bring to the Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs enter the offseason with their highest draft selection since picking No. 1 overall in the 2013 NFL Draft, when they selected Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher. Following a 6-11 season, with three consecutive appearances in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs are in a position to acquire a premier talent in the 2026 draft with the No. 9 overall pick in the selection order.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach will have his choice for whichever player falls to the Chiefs. One player who could be in the conversation is Miami Hurricanes star pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr, who was one of the most dominant players in the College Football Playoff.

Overview of Bain

Bain Chiefs — Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A true junior born and raised in Miami, Florida, Bain was a four-star recruit out of Miami Central Senior High School. He saw playing time almost immediately as a true freshman, quickly becoming one of the top rookies in the country with 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks as the ACC's defensive rookie of the year in 2023.

After missing some time with an injury in 2024, Bain returned to the lineup this season and made an immediate impact right away, becoming a game-wrecker weekly and one of the most deadly forces in college football. On the Hurricanes' run to the National Championship, Bain tallied five sacks and eight tackles for loss, including three sacks in the opening round against Texas A&M. Bain declared for the NFL Draft and accepted an invite to the Panini Senior Bowl.

Bain's strengths

At six-foot-three, 275 pounds, Bain is built for the NFL with awesome play strength from head to toe. He exemplifies a great get-off from the line of scrimmage that will overwhelm offensive tackles in their jump, vertical, or 45-degree pass sets. This is a strong player at the point of attack with the ability to control his blocks, set the edge, and anchor against double teams.

Bain plays with outstanding pad level and proper leverage in the run game to utilize his heavy hands at the point, allowing him to maintain his edge, gap integrity, and stack-shed opportunities against tackles and tight ends. As a pass rusher, he brings terrific speed-to-power and a cross-chop that has proven to be effective consistently. He has shown sufficient bend and ankle flexion to reduce surface area and get underneath the shoulder pads of his blocker to rip through and attack the quarterback.

Bain's weaknesses

The biggest concern with Bain is his length, rumored to be anywhere from 30 to 32 inches. Most pass rushers of his caliber enter the NFL with longer arms, but Bain is a unique case, as his tackle radius has shown to hurt him at times in the run game, especially after setting the edge against wide zone blocks. However, he has shown the ability to play with proper technique and leverage to the point where it may not become a significant concern in the long run.

Bain could improve his gap discipline with better assignments and technique when trying to make a play against the run. His hand usage and moves are lacking in some phases as a pass rusher, and he must add more to the arsenal to take another significant step in this department. Overall, most of Bain's concerns are nitpicking, at best.

What Bain could bring to the Chiefs

Bain is one of the best defenders in the 2026 draft class, providing ample abilities as a pass rusher and run defender. He affects the game with a combination of speed, quickness, run-game technique, power, heavy hands, and football intelligence that allow him to make plays in any situation, especially must-have moments late in games.

The lack of elite length may hurt him as a tackler and executing long arms, but proper pad level and leverage at the point of attack ease those concerns. Bain projects as a scheme-transcendent talent in any defensive system and an impact starter early in his NFL career.

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