The Dolphins need to draft edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. if he’s there. Here’s why
Forget about the short arms.
Forget about the hand size. Forget about the weight. Forget about the 2024 car crash a.k.a. the worst-kept secret in NFL Draft circles.
Ask yourself just one question: when Rueben Bain Jr. lined up on the field, who did opposing offenses always have to take into account?
As the NFL Draft looms, there will be a lot of speculation about whom the Dolphins select with their No. 11 overall pick. The needs are enormous — cornerback, edge rusher, wide receiver, offensive linemen, safety, etc. — yet not everyone deserves that premium selection. Let the former Miami Hurricane fall to the Dolphins, and it would be a match made in heaven — the only question is will he still be there?
“Whatever team ends up picking me gone get the best out of me, [going to] get the best player in the draft in my opinion,” Bain said during the NFL Combine. “I’m gone to come in with a mind-set to work every day, prove myself in the locker room and just be the person that I am.”
Sure, the car crash could cause a bit of concern as one of the passengers in Bain’s vehicle did eventually pass away. That it was revealed just weeks before the NFL Draft, however, should set off an alarm that somebody, somewhere wants to tank Bain’s draft stock, especially considering that his charges were later dropped and the victim’s family already wished the standout Cane well. NFL teams have long since known about the incident and seemingly won’t count it against Bain’s character.
“We’ve known that for a while,” Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said of Bain’s situation, “so that doesn’t really change anything from our standpoint”.
The measureables could also potentially make teams think twice. Bain’s short arms (30 7/8th inches) and hand size (9 1/8th inches) are far below average for edge rushers. In fact, there hasn’t been a player with sub-31-inch arms who has posted double-digit sacks in the past 20 seasons.
But the violence and speed that Bain played with put him in a class of one. The star edge rusher led the NCAA in hurries (68) and pressures (83) during the 2025 season, according to Pro Football Focus. He finished the year with 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks as the Hurricanes narrowly lost in the College Football Playoff championship to Indiana.
“None of the teams seem too concerned about it,” Bain said of his arm size, adding that he had “never really heard that” throughout his entire playing career which ended with a first-team All-American bid and ACC Defensive Player of the Year nod.
It also didn’t bother Pro Football Hall of Famer and Hurricanes defensive line coach Jason Taylor.
“I don’t give a damn how long somebody’s arms are,” Taylor told Local 10. “Put on the tape.”
What makes Bain particularly dynamic is his unique blend of power, snap-timing and violence. His get-off happens so quickly that he closes the distance that opposing tackles want to create once the play begins. When he gets into the tackle’s pads, he uses his strength to cast them aside and make plays in the backfield.
Take Bain’s late fourth-quarter rep against Texas A&M in the first round of the College Football Playoffs, for example. At the snap, Bain fires off, stays low and engages tackle Dametrious Crownover’s pads then proceeds to push him back into quarterback Marcel Reed, squeezing the pocket before eventually leaping into the sack on third down.
Bain also can set firm edges in the run game, a must in the 4-3 scheme that coach Jeff Hafley will likely run. In the national championship game, Bain recorded a tackle for loss after he clubbed the block from tight end Riley Nowakowski and hustled to the spot to prevent running back Roman Hemby from reaching the outside.
Although Bain will have to add moves to his pass rush, the Dolphins would get a NFL-ready starter on the edge opposite of 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson. At a time when Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan have engaged in a culture change in Miami Gardens, Bain can help bring a nastiness to the defense. From his days at Miami Central to his final year in Coral Gables, he’s been a winner whose intensity can change a team’s fortune.
Throw in the lessons learned from a Dolphins legend in Taylor and Bain’s local connections, Miami shouldn’t pass him up.
“The play on the field, obviously, is evident,” Taylor told the Hurricanes’ internal media team before referring to both Bain and his teammate Ahkeem Mesidor. “But the leadership, the work ethic, not letting money change them, that’s who those guys are.”
Added Taylor: “Every NFL team wants consistency. They want pros. They want guys that they can go to bed at night and be able to trust that they’re going to be there in the morning with no issues and that they’re going to show up for work and that they love ball. That’s who those guys are.”
