Bucs linebackers coach on Rueben Bain Jr.: ‘He's going to be a star'

Expectations can block the progress of a first-round pick, but Bucs outside linebackers coach Larry Foote says it's safe to wager that Rueben Bain Jr. will shine as brightly as any rookie in the NFL this season.

"Off the film, if you had to bet, he's going to be a star," Foote said Tuesday. "The way he plays the game. He's explosive. Plays with great leverage and it's hard to block those types of guys. Back in my Pittsburgh days, I played with a guy, James Harrison, like that and you couldn't block him. He had that trait. He had that ability."

It's an interesting comparison since Harrison went undrafted out of Kent State and was cut multiple times by Pittsburgh, playing in NFL Europe before becoming a two-time Super Bowl champion, Defensive Player of the Year and five-time Pro Bowl player.

But it's Bain's toughness and violent style of play that reminds Foote of Harrison. He demonstrated those traits at Miami, but the rookie minicamp provided more confirmation.

"I'm more impressed with his mindset and I kind of got a little feel for that when we interviewed him at the (NFL scouting) combine," Foote said. "But these last few weeks, he has that Lavonte David focus. That area down there in Miami, them guys it's Jesus 1A and football 1B. Them guys love ball. Even when it's break time, he ain't pulling his phone out like the rest of them. He's all about ball. I'm excited to have him."

The Bucs haven't had a player record double-digit sacks in a season since Shaquil Barrett had 10 in 2021. Certainly, their pass rush needed an upgrade after compiling 37 sacks last season, the fewest since Todd Bowles arrived as defensive coordinator in 2019.

Foote said he has been impressed by Bain's knowledge of the game and his recall of specific plays.

"He knew everything on the tape," Foote said. "He knew everybody's responsibility and he was just an above-the-neck guy. He told you what the linebacker had on the inside. He knew the coverage. He remembered a play. He's got that high depth. He was just very impressive. As soon as he left, everybody stood up and shook your head."

The Bucs have struggled to find an effective outside pass rusher since Barrett retired. It hasn't been for a lack of trying. Yaya Diaby, the third-round pick out of Louisville in 2023, has shown flashes and led the team in sacks with seven last season.

Both Chris Braswell, a second-round pick from Alabama in 2024, and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, a first-rounder in 2021, failed to live up to expectations. They primarily were lean speed rushers but lacked the power and technique to get off blocks. Haason Reddick, who signed a one-year $14 million contract a year ago, produced only 2.5 sacks in 2025.

Not so with Bain, Foote said.

"Just rookie tryout camp, nobody could block him," Foote said. "That was expected. He hustled to the ball. You see that on his tape. He loves ball. He's all about ball. He's been playing since he was 4 years old.

"When you see guys that explosive with that leverage he has. He has a great get off. And to be that strong and (have) a great get off, you know, now you're lethal. My main thing is technique, technique. It's going to be a lot harder. A lot of sacks he had he just ran around them guys and it's not going to be that easy."

The Bucs also got better at outside linebacker by adding Lions free agent Al-Quadin Muhammad, who had a career-high 11 sacks for Detroit last season.

"He's just a vet," Foote said of Muhammad. "When I mean vet, I mean he's a pro. He's serious. You can line him up all over the place. That's the flexibility that he brings. ... He's mean and he's nasty and he's been doing it for a long time."

The arrival of Bain should improve the production of Diaby, who faced his share of double teams last season.

"There's a lot more room for him to grow. Just little things like technique," Foote said of Diaby. "His hand placement. Studying the best. You've got to mimic those guys and you've got to add that to your game.

"I thought he played well last year. The sack numbers, sometimes they can be up and down. There's a lot of wins. He's great in the run game. He's probably one of the best edge defenders in the run game. He's just got to get the quarterback down and stuff like that."

What makes Foote so confident in Bain? It's the combination of speed and power, passion and production that was so evident during his career at Miami.

"And you see it on tape," Foote said. "He's mean. He's violent. So you see a lot of guys who are just finesse rushers. They struggle when they come to this league. That's not going to be a hard transition for him."

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 7:39 PM.