A simple NFL Combine procedure adds fuel to fire surrounding Rueben Bain, Jr.’s draft prospects
The Hurricane standout has been saddled with a concern that has conflicted with his dominant 2025 season.
Miami Hurricanes defensive end Rueben Bain, Jr. was one of the most dominant players at any position across college football in 2025. Bain was a handful for every team he faced and teamed up with fellow edge rusher Akheem Mesidor to provide the best pass rushing tandem in the nation.
Bain will be a first-round pick in April’s NFL Draft. The question is simply how high? Bain’s tape and college productivity has spoken for itself with some pundits, who project him well inside the top five picks.
However, others have raised questions about Bain’s arm length and particularly how it will translate to playing as a defensive end or outside linebacker off the edge on Sundays. Such pundits have mentioned the possibility of Bain becoming primarily an interior pass rusher.
On Wednesday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Bain and the rest of the defensive ends/outside linebackers had their measurements taken. Bain came in at 6-2 1/4, 263 pounds, 9 1/8-inch hand, 30 7/8-inch arm length, and 77.5-inch wingspan.
Miami DE Rueben Bain, Jr. measures sub-31-inch arms at NFL Combine
One player who some who have used as an example of a shorter-armed edge rusher is former Chargers star Melvin Ingram. Bain’s arms come in a little over half an inch shorter than Ingram’s, per NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah.
But again, looking at the tape and the performance that Bain had against some of college football’s best in 2025, it’s fair to wonder how many teams will say “so what?” and bank on Bain’s considerable talent?
In the first round of the College Football Playoff against Texas A&M, who came in with the best pass blocking offensive line in the SEC, Bain had a field day with three sacks and eight pressures. Against the Buckeyes in the Hurricanes’ next game, Bain had a game-high eight pressures with a sack.
Sometimes, players are good enough to find ways to overcome physical shortcomings. We’ll find out in April in Pittsburgh, site of the 2026 NFL Draft, if any teams near the top of the draft will think that way about Bain.
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