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Titans Projected to Land Cam Ward’s Former Teammate

Cam Ward could see his college teammate join him with the Tennessee Titans next season.
Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) reacts after a tackle against the California Golden Bears during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) reacts after a tackle against the California Golden Bears during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

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The Tennessee Titans are approaching the start of the 2025 season, but there are already people in the scouting department working on evaluating the 2026 NFL Draft class.

One of the top players in the country this season is Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who was predicted to join the Titans with the No. 4 overall pick in Sporting News contributor Anthony Licciardi's mock draft.

"Bain came into the year having to answer questions about last year's injury. He answered them against an elite Notre Dame offense. He was arguably the best player on the field and one of the strongest performers from the first full week of collegiate action," Licciardi wrote.

"The athletic traits returned in full force, his power made its presence felt and he came through in the game's biggest moment. Tennessee took an edge rusher in my last mock, and Bain made a good argument to be the position's top prospect on Saturday."

Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. during the first quarter against the California Golden Bears
Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. during the first quarter against the California Golden Bears. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Titans clearly like what's going on at the University of Miami, taking a player from there in each of the past two drafts.

In 2024, the Titans selected James Williams Sr. and converted him from safety to linebacker. He nearly became a starter in just his second season of learning the position, but lost the battle in training camp to fellow 2024 draft classmate Cedric Gray, who was taken in the fourth round out of North Carolina.

Then, the Titans selected Cam Ward as the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft. The Titans were in desperate need of a quarterback, so Ward was the pick for the team. He wasn't on too many NFL radars while at Washington State, but he became a Heisman Trophy candidate during his playing time at Miami.

Williams' development and Ward's growth at Miami are reasons why the Titans should continue to invest in the Hurricanes. Bain is one of the top defenders in college football, but what makes him stand out is his background at Miami, something that should very much intrigue the Titans if they have the chance to select him in April.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.