Rueben Bain Jr. — 2026 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 3.0

The best move for Kansas City would be to trade down and acquire more picks. In this scenario, they stick and add another pass rusher.

The Commanders' list of roster needs is so extensive that Carnell Tate, Sonny Styles, Mansoor Delane and Jeremiyah Love all would have been upgrades here. But Bain is the clear pick. The Commanders need to rebuild the defense to give Jayden Daniels some support, and it starts up front, where they've lacked an elite pass rusher the last two seasons. Enter Bain, a ferocious and complete pass rusher, who knows how to use his power and leverage to dominate tackles. His 30 3/4-inch arms could be a sticking point for some, but his length didn't appear to be a hindrance; he had an FBS-best 83 pressures to go with 23 run stops in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. He's the game-wrecker Washington sorely needs.

You're likely going to see conflicting opinions of Rueben Bain Jr. based on his measurables, but this is one of those times I like to rely on the tape. The first time I saw Bain play for Miami as a freshman, he popped off the screen, and I've followed his college career with googly eyes ever since. He has limitations, but he also has a pretty damn high floor.

Bain's temperament and playing style will perfectly complement Jeffery Simmons. They're cut from the same cloth in how they play the game.

The Bengals are desperate for defensive help across the board, but it's hard to achieve much in the NFL without a forceful pass rush. They swung big on an answer to that issue last year by taking Shemar Stewart, who had only 4.5 sacks in three college seasons but posed athletic upside. But Stewart had one sack across eight games as a rookie.

Bain is the exact opposite archetype, with 20.5 sacks in three seasons but a lack of premiere physical traits. He makes up for his more compact frame with overpowering strength and quick hands. Bain earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors this past season, dominating opposing offenses on the way to the CFP Championship game. With Trey Hendrickson likely moving on this offseason, Bain would fit nicely here.

The Jets would love a quarterback good enough to take here, but there isn't one. So this is a smart time to go best player available, which very well could be Bain. He doesn't have prototypical build, but he has incredible athleticism and skill to be an impact defensive end in the NFL from Day 1.

I'm a big believer that you have to try and give your young quarterback some help. They could certainly use some help upfront. But Robert Saleh comes in and I believe that Bain is the type of player that the Titans' new head coach can rely on.

I loved watching Bain. He has an elite motor and talent. There will be a lot made about his arm length, but I'm not concerned about that. Just watch the tape. Watch the production. He's an absolute gamewrecker.