New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: LB Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami

Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE/DT

Height: 6’3”
Weight: 270 lbs
Class: Junior
School: Miami
STATS

A former four-star recruit out of Miami Central High School in Miami, Florida, where he was the 15th prospect in his state and the 10th overall EDGE, while being the 71st nationally graded player during the 2022 recruiting cycle. He earned the Nat Moore Trophy, as the top high school player at any position in the Miami area. Bain Jr. had a dominant junior season with the Hurricanes.

He added 83 pressures and 37 STOPs in 897 total defensive snaps through the 2025 season (557 were pass rushing reps). Bain Jr. missed 20.3% of his career tackles, but – similar to his teammate Ahkeem Mesidor – many of those tackle attempts should have NEVER BEEN tackle attempts, and were set up by Bain’s unique abilities.

Bain was a Consensus All-American in 2025, while earning the Ted Hendricks Award and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year honor. He was First-Team All-ACC in 2025 and Third-Team in 2023. Bain Jr. was a team captain in 2025 and, in 2023, he led the FBS with defensive line tackles for a loss and sacks.

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. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Strengths

Dense frame with thick lower-body
Exceptional feet at the LOS
Excellent blend of power and quickness
Has sufficient lower body flexion to corner through contact
Very good athlete with a solid first-step
Excellent timing, power, and precision with his hands
Expansive pass rushing repertoire
Copious amounts of power in his hands
Destroys single blocks in the run game
Tight end destroyer as 5-T/6-T
Good anchor vs. double-teams – hips low, good feel to split
Low COG with violent hands and excellent power
Excellent force in to contact – very quick to shed/react
Thumping hits
Allowed Miami to consistently steal gaps up front (gap and a half / 2-Gap)
Good as a hammer or looper in twists
Very high football IQ
Understands how to take wide angles
Very good at adjusting angles to opponent (pursuit/pocket)
Versatile threat who can align across the LOS

Weaknesses

Shorter arms than desired
Short area quickness to finish led to 20%+ missed tackle rate –but, to be fair, it was impressive he got close on some of those attempts
Not the most explosive edge rusher
Can get risky with his gaps – they’re calculated risks

Summary

Reuben Bain Jr. has a magnificent blend of technical savvy, precision and violence, all while being a reliable two-way player.

Bain Jr. does an excellent job syncing his feet and hands when rushing the passer; he understands how/when to attack, while possessing ample power and finesse moves with a solid ability to convert speed-to-power. Overall, he’s a high IQ player.

Bain Jr. is a sturdy run defender who understands gap integrity (although he does take risks) and can effectively anchor in place to absorb combo blocks, while also having the quickness to penetrate and disrupt rushing lanes.

Bain Jr. is a true tone-setting player on the defensive line. He will be an immediate impact player who has shorter arms, and isn’t the most explosive, but he’ll make an impactful difference for the team that drafts him.

GRADE: 7.04

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