Bucs draft Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. in first round, hoping to bolster pass rush
By Associated Press
April 23, 2026 at 11:02 PM EDT
Bain should immediately improve a defense that has struggled to find a legitimate pass rusher. Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht was pleasantly surprised a player of Bain's caliber dropped to the 15th pick.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. with the 15th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, addressing a need to bolster a leaky defense that wasn't as reliable as usual last season.
Bain had 9.5 sacks last year and collected 20.5 over his three seasons at UM, which reached the College Football Playoff championship in January. He was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and won the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end. Some scouts list him the draft's best defensive lineman.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht expressed surprise that a player of Bain's caliber was available.
"There were very few scenarios where we thought he'd be there, but there were scenarios, and we're very excited," he said. "I've probably never seen a more excited draft room."
The 6-foot-2, 275-pound Bain should immediately improve a Bucs defense that has struggled to find a legitimate pass rusher since Shaq Barrett had 10 sacks in 2021.
"He's very unique, where he's got a great blend of power and athleticism," said Licht. "He can bend, he's got get-off, he's very powerful, he's got very explosive — not just athleticism but powerful hands, powerful strength."
Licht added that Bain plays "very edgy," and with a chip on his shoulder.
“I love football, I love my teammates. If they’re not my teammates, I hate ‘em. This is what I love to do, and I’m a Buc,” Bain told Tampa-area reporters. "I feel like my motor and my mindset is contagious because when people see me, how I play and how I care about the game of football, it kind of spreads off on other people.”
Tampa Bay tied for 18th in sacks last year with 37, the team's lowest total since head coach Todd Bowles joined the Bucs as defensive coordinator in 2019 and continues to call defensive signals. The team leader was outside linebacker Yaya Diaby with 7.
Bain will join Diaby and first-round defensive tackles Vita Vea (2018) and Calijah Kancey (2023) along the front seven.
"You add a player like Rueben, and if he does what we think he can do, it opens a lot of things up," said Licht. "It makes everybody along the D-Line better when you can have two edge presences."
The Bucs went 8-9 last season, losing seven of nine games following a 6-2 start to end a string of five consecutive playoff appearances that included a Tom Brady-led Super Bowl run during the 2020 season.
"It's just the cherry on top of staying in Florida, man. I have family members that stay in Tampa," said Bain, 21, who attended Miami Central High. "So, it's going to be a familiar atmosphere for me. I'm just excited and stoked to get there."
Bain, whose position coach at Miami was Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, said he would be a good fit for Bowles' defense.
“Bowles is an aggressive defensive like-minded coach, and I’m an aggressive defensive like-minded player,” Bain said. “It’s going to be real simple, real smooth.”
Inside linebacker, tight end and cornerback are other priorities general manager Jason Licht and coach Todd Bowles could address on Days 2 and 3 of the draft. Tampa Bay has three of the top 77 selections overall and at least one pick in each of the final six rounds.
The team began an overhaul of the defense this winter after losing linebacker Lavonte David to retirement and not bringing back cornerback Jamel Dean and linebacker Haason Reddick, who became free agents.
Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad signed a one-year deal with the Bucs in March after having a career-best 11 sacks with the Detroit Lions last season, and the Bucs also landed linebackers Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom in free agency.
A recent published report linked Bain to a fatal traffic collision in 2024. Bain was cited for careless driving at the time of the crash, but the charge was later dropped, according to The Read Optional.
“We've known about this for a long time,” Licht said. "I know it just came out a couple of weeks ago. It was a very tragic accident. Tragic experience for the family. It's something you never want to see happen.
“He's a good person. Was involved in something none of us ever want to be involved in, never want any of our loved ones to be involved."
Bain did not say much about the accident or how he has coped with news of the collision breaking in the weeks leading up to the draft.
“Everything has its ups and downs. I try to make everything as simple as it possibly can be, try to prioritize whatever I can prioritize at the moment,” he said.
The accident occurred March 17, 2024, at 4 a.m. on Interstate 95 in Miami. According to the crash report, Bain's 2021 Land Rover SUV rear-ended another car, veered into a concrete barrier, then ricocheted into another barrier before coming to a rest on the shoulder. No field sobriety tests were performed at the time.
One of Bain's three passengers, 22-year-old Destiny Betts, was in a coma for three months before her death. Fellow UM football players Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly were also in the SUV.
In a statement provided to The Read Optional, Betts' family called the crash a "tragic accident" and said they "wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career."
WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.
Bain had 9.5 sacks last year and collected 20.5 over his three seasons at UM, which reached the College Football Playoff championship in January. He was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and won the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end. Some scouts list him the draft's best defensive lineman.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht expressed surprise that a player of Bain's caliber was available.
"There were very few scenarios where we thought he'd be there, but there were scenarios, and we're very excited," he said. "I've probably never seen a more excited draft room."
The 6-foot-2, 275-pound Bain should immediately improve a Bucs defense that has struggled to find a legitimate pass rusher since Shaq Barrett had 10 sacks in 2021.
"He's very unique, where he's got a great blend of power and athleticism," said Licht. "He can bend, he's got get-off, he's very powerful, he's got very explosive — not just athleticism but powerful hands, powerful strength."
Licht added that Bain plays "very edgy," and with a chip on his shoulder.
“I love football, I love my teammates. If they’re not my teammates, I hate ‘em. This is what I love to do, and I’m a Buc,” Bain told Tampa-area reporters. "I feel like my motor and my mindset is contagious because when people see me, how I play and how I care about the game of football, it kind of spreads off on other people.”
Tampa Bay tied for 18th in sacks last year with 37, the team's lowest total since head coach Todd Bowles joined the Bucs as defensive coordinator in 2019 and continues to call defensive signals. The team leader was outside linebacker Yaya Diaby with 7.
Bain will join Diaby and first-round defensive tackles Vita Vea (2018) and Calijah Kancey (2023) along the front seven.
"You add a player like Rueben, and if he does what we think he can do, it opens a lot of things up," said Licht. "It makes everybody along the D-Line better when you can have two edge presences."
The Bucs went 8-9 last season, losing seven of nine games following a 6-2 start to end a string of five consecutive playoff appearances that included a Tom Brady-led Super Bowl run during the 2020 season.
"It's just the cherry on top of staying in Florida, man. I have family members that stay in Tampa," said Bain, 21, who attended Miami Central High. "So, it's going to be a familiar atmosphere for me. I'm just excited and stoked to get there."
Bain, whose position coach at Miami was Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, said he would be a good fit for Bowles' defense.
“Bowles is an aggressive defensive like-minded coach, and I’m an aggressive defensive like-minded player,” Bain said. “It’s going to be real simple, real smooth.”
Inside linebacker, tight end and cornerback are other priorities general manager Jason Licht and coach Todd Bowles could address on Days 2 and 3 of the draft. Tampa Bay has three of the top 77 selections overall and at least one pick in each of the final six rounds.
The team began an overhaul of the defense this winter after losing linebacker Lavonte David to retirement and not bringing back cornerback Jamel Dean and linebacker Haason Reddick, who became free agents.
Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad signed a one-year deal with the Bucs in March after having a career-best 11 sacks with the Detroit Lions last season, and the Bucs also landed linebackers Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom in free agency.
A recent published report linked Bain to a fatal traffic collision in 2024. Bain was cited for careless driving at the time of the crash, but the charge was later dropped, according to The Read Optional.
“We've known about this for a long time,” Licht said. "I know it just came out a couple of weeks ago. It was a very tragic accident. Tragic experience for the family. It's something you never want to see happen.
“He's a good person. Was involved in something none of us ever want to be involved in, never want any of our loved ones to be involved."
Bain did not say much about the accident or how he has coped with news of the collision breaking in the weeks leading up to the draft.
“Everything has its ups and downs. I try to make everything as simple as it possibly can be, try to prioritize whatever I can prioritize at the moment,” he said.
The accident occurred March 17, 2024, at 4 a.m. on Interstate 95 in Miami. According to the crash report, Bain's 2021 Land Rover SUV rear-ended another car, veered into a concrete barrier, then ricocheted into another barrier before coming to a rest on the shoulder. No field sobriety tests were performed at the time.
One of Bain's three passengers, 22-year-old Destiny Betts, was in a coma for three months before her death. Fellow UM football players Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly were also in the SUV.
In a statement provided to The Read Optional, Betts' family called the crash a "tragic accident" and said they "wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career."
WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.