ESPN leaves Buccaneers rookie Rueben Bain Jr. out in the cold and the reason why sets them up to look pretty foolish in the end
Buccaneers rookie EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. is the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year by a lot of people, but ESPN doesn’t see it that way. And the reason why is a strange one that can easily blow up in their face.
Just about everywhere you look, Tampa Bay Bucccaneers rookie pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. is the odds-on favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Except for ESPN, which recently released its 2026 award predictions. Somewhat similar to the top-10 positional lists that came out ahead of training camp, the four-letter network polled NFL execs in order to get an idea of who would win MVP, Offensive/Defensive Player of the year, as well as the other top end-of-season awards.
And for whatever reason, Dallas Cowboys rookie defensive back Caleb Downs was picked to win Defensive Rookie of the Year over Bain Jr.
Well, scratch that. We do have the reason(s), yet it doesn’t move the needle when it comes to the idea of Downs beating out Rueben Bain Jr. for Defensive Rookie of the Year:
When I asked head coach Brian Schottenheimer at training camp where Downs is best served on the field, he said “anywhere,” then pointed out that he can cover star receiver CeeDee Lamb up the seam.
The Cowboys will play Downs primarily in the slot, where he can disrupt in the open field.
“He will play in the middle of the defense, so he will probably have some ball production and high tackle numbers,” an AFC executive said. “And if he helps turn around Dallas’ defense, he’ll be looked at as a catalyst.“
Jeremy fowler
ESPN
Defensive backs, especially slot/nickel corners, rarely win Defensive Rookie of the Year
For starters, just four cornerbacks have won DROTY since 1998. That’s nearly a 30-year span and showcases just how rare that feat is. Granted, three of the aforementioned four have won in the award in the last 10 years (Marcus Peters in 2015, Marshon Lattimore in 2017, and Sauce Gardner in 2022), but all of those guys are perimeter corners, not slot/nickel corners.
The last time a safety won the award was all the way back in 1990, when Mark Carrier finished with 122 total tackles and league-leading 10 interceptions and five forced fumbles. It’s safe to say the odds of Downs finishing with even half that many INTs as a slot corner is very unlikely and those are the kind of splash plays he’s going to need in order to win DROTY.
On the contrary, 10 defensive linemen/pass rushers have won the award since 2010 and it’s easy to see why. A pass rusher has a much better shot at generating game-changing and stat sheet-filling plays simply because they see a lot more action than secondary players do.
It’s quite the odd take from the NFL execs that were polled, to be honest. They presumably know slot corners are long shots when it comes to winning DROTY.
The Buccaneers have the pieces to elevate Rueben Bain Jr. to Defensive Rookie of the Year
Rueben Bain Jr. has the skillset to win Defensive Rookie of the Year on his own, but it’s also his surrounding environment that boosts his chances of taking home the gold even more.
The Buccaneers’ front seven is not only talented, but it’s deep and versatile, as well. Everyone has their own unique skillset that complements the other, but allows Todd Bowles to really mix things up and get aggressive. Maybe even more than in the past.
Meaning, Bain Jr. won’t have to shoulder the load, himself, and he’ll get freed up to make plays on a consistent basis. Opposing offenses can’t double team everyone and the 15th overall pick will certainly be able to take advantage of the moments when it’s mano a mano with his assignment.
In the end, it’s awfully puzzling Bain Jr. wasn’t selected as the favorite to win DROTY, but that will only give him even more fuel than he already has to go out and prove ESPN, and whomever feels the same, wrong.
