Coaches voice concerns about Rueben Bain Jr. ahead of NFL Draft

Teams reportedly have not taken Miami edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. off their draft boards after fans recently learned that he was involved in a fatal vehicular crash when he was a sophomore in March 2024, largely because clubs have known about the incident for some time. 

However, it remains unknown how the arm-length concerns that have hovered over Bain since the scouting combine will ultimately impact his draft stock. On Monday, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic spoke with multiple defensive line coaches about what Bain will and won't be as a pro. 

Why Rueben Bain Jr. may struggle as a rookie

"His arm length does scare me, especially against tackles," one coach said about Bain. "He ain’t gonna be able to get into them. I think his get-off is really good and his bend is crazy, especially for a square-shaped guy. ...But I do think he will struggle right away because he has to be the aggressor. These guys will put their hands out there and wall you off. You gotta be the aggressor in everything you do. He’s got a good speed to power, and that has to be his go-to." 

How far Bain drops in the draft may depend on when Ohio State pass-rusher Arvell Reese and Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey go off the board. If both become top-four or top-five picks, a team such as the Dallas Cowboys could move up to choice No. 6 to grab Bain.

"How many 10-sack guys have 30 1/2-inch arms (30 7/8)? He doesn’t look like very many guys in our league," a second coach said about Bain. "He’s powerful, good with his hands and can really bend. That all translates, but it’s the length when you’re going against guys that are 6-6, 330 pounds. Are they gonna cover him up cause he can’t get them off his body? But he’s such a good player, I think he’s still gonna go top 10."

Analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Bain ranked as the ninth-best overall prospect in this year's draft. For a mock draft updated on Monday, ESPN's Jordan Reid predicted that the Kansas City Chiefs will grab Bain if he falls to them at pick No. 9. The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner agrees that the Chiefs will take Bain if he's available nine selections into the draft. 

These coaches aren't worried about Rueben Bain Jr.

"He just plays so hard that the short arms really don’t matter, and it didn’t affect him in college," a third coach told Feldman while speaking about Bain. "His get-off is so good that it allows him to compensate. His motor really allows him to get away with it. I don’t think it’s gonna be an issue for him."

Meanwhile, a fourth coach said that Bain "will create separation with his power" at the highest level. 

Bain may not check every box for players at his position, but it sounds like he won't have to wait too long to hear his name called this coming Thursday night.