NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans cannot afford another miss in the first round of the NFL Draft. With the latest news on Sunday night about former Miami edge Rueben Bain, Jr.’s 2024 involvement in a fatal vehicular collision, Tennessee should be among the teams to remove Bain from their considerations.

Ollie Connolly of The Read Optional Substack was the first to report the 2024 incident that Bain was driving on 1-95 in Miami when he crashed his car into another vehicle from behind. Bain’s vehicle then hit one concrete wall on the side of the highway, before careening back into wall on the opposite side of the road, according to the crash report.

Destiny Betts, one of four additional passengers in the vehicle Bain wrecked, slipped into a coma as a result of the crash. Betts died three months after the incident. Connolley found that a second female passenger was also hospitalized with injuries.

Former Miami players Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly were also in the vehicle.

The careless driving charge against Bain was dismissed by a court approximately two weeks before Betts’ death, while she remained in a coma. No finding of criminal liability has been made in connection with the crash or her death.

Mike Borgonzi must minimize Titans risk

News that is more than two years old happens to break 10 days before the 2026 NFL Draft.

Rueben Bain is projected to be a high first-round selection after helping Miami reach the College Football Playoff final. No one disputes that Bain is one of the best football players in the country. He can be a difference-making player at the pro level in the right situation. With a roster in desperate need of wide scale repairs, however, Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi must minimize risk at every turn.

Tennessee’s 2026 first-round pick must come with zero doubts.

According to multiple reports, all 32 NFL clubs have been aware of Bain’s 2024 crash. A second careless driving charge in 2025 against Bain was also dismissed for a “defective citation.”

“We are concerned about multiple incidents,” an NFL team executive told Connolley. “We are waiting for the other shoe.”

If Bain was not completely transparent about the situation, it is worthy of a red flag. No player is worth risking the trajectory of the Titans rebuild and Bain is now officially a risk.

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.