NFL Teams Higher On DL Rueben Bain Than Draft Pundits?

Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. stirred up headlines at the NFL Scouting Combine when his arms measured at 30 7/8 inches, the third-lowest arm length for an edge recorded at the combine since 1999. According to Jason La Canfora, though, NFL teams and top personnel evaluators seem to care far less about the measurement than the media does.

A source that La Canfora described as “a top personnel evaluator with a proven track record” claimed that Bain’s arm length doesn’t tell the real story of his body type. Another evaluator asserted his focus on Bain’s wingspan differential or ape index, a measurement that focuses on arm length in proportion to the rest of a player’s body by subtracting their height from the combined length of their arms. Another stated plainly that “his arms are not going to be a problem.”

Multiple of the evaluators La Canfora communicated with thought Bain stood as good a chance as any of the other top picks at landing in the No. 2 overall slot. They point to Bain’s maturity while at the same time valuing how much younger he is than other top pass rushers who utilized the transfer portal in college. There appears to be a growing sense that the people making Draft Day decisions prize Bain more than those who specialize in mock drafts, as Canfora puts it.

One of those mock draft, college football experts in the media, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had Bain far from the No. 2 overall pick in his most recent mock draft two weeks ago. Brugler continues to push the media narrative that Bain “remains a polarizing prospect among NFL teams,” claiming “he’s got a lot of fans and plenty of critics.” Brugler has the Hurricanes pass rusher going ninth overall to the Chiefs, with whom he would have a golden opportunity to learn from stellar defensive lineman Chris Jones.

With just over a month to go until the 2026 NFL Draft, Bain has predictions spanning from No. 2 to No. 9 from the above two sources alone. Regardless of the potential for varying opinions, it seems even his biggest detractors don’t have Bain falling very far past the top 10. Somebody will be taking a chance on the Miami product on Day 1 of the draft. It only remains to be seen how far into the first round that will happen.