Commanders High On Jeremiyah Love At No. 7; Team Unlikely To Pick Caleb Downs?
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is considered one of the Commanders’ top choices for the No. 7 pick in next week’s draft, according to EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline.
Washington has operated a backfield-by-committee approach for several years without investing much in any one individual running back. In 2025, they traded Brian Robinson – their last player to take more than 200 carries in a season back in 2022 – to the 49ers and split their touches between 2023 sixth-round pick Chris Rodriguez and 2025 seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders added former Buccaneer Rachaad White into their rotation this offseason, too.
Drafting Love would end the committee approach. He would step in as a full-time, three-down RB1 right away who will only need to be rotated out for rest and load management. The Commanders would be able to lean on a more traditional running game without putting Jayden Daniels in as much danger after an injury-riddled 2025 season. And when Washington does use Daniels’ legs, they may find that combining an elite running back with a mobile quarterback can lead to explosive results, as the Ravens showed with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in 2024.
Love was one of several projected top-10 picks to take a top-30 visit to Washington this week. He joined edge rushers Arvell Reese (Ohio State), David Bailey (Texas Tech), and Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), among others, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Any would fill the Commanders’ significant need off the edge, though either Reese or Bailey is expected to be the Jets’ pick at No. 2. The other is unlikely to fall to the seventh pick, but Washington should have a shot at Bain with some teams scared off by his below-average arm length.
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was also present for Tuesday’s top-30 gathering, but he is not expected to be the team’s pick at No. 7. The Commanders are returning their top three safeties from last season – Jartavius Martin, Jeremy Reaves, and Will Harris – and signed Nick Cross in free agency. Cross will take up one starting role, and the team is confident that Martin, a 2023 second-rounder, can bounce back after struggling in coverage last year, according to Pauline. Downs has more long-term upside than any currently-rostered Commanders safety, but the front office may value a position with more value or immediate need.
Instead, Pauline adds, one of the aforementioned pass rushers, a wide receiver, or cornerback are “in play” for the seventh overall pick, but that may not matter if Love falls that far. At present, that does not seem especially likely. He has been linked with a number of clubs with top-five picks, and in what is considered a thin draft class in terms of elite prospects, one may be inclined to ignore Love’s position and select him based on his pure talent.
Commanders Host Caleb Downs; S Unlikely To Fall Out Of Top 10?
The clear-cut top safety in this draft class, Caleb Downs looks likely to become the first safety drafted in the top 10 since Jamal Adams in 2017. Adams is the only safety to go off the board in the top 10 over the past 15 drafts, but Downs could even beat the former All-Pro’s No. 6 draft slot.
The Giants have been closely connected to Downs at No. 5 for weeks, and a recent report indicated the Cowboys are a team to watch with a trade-up — potentially for a player the Giants are coveting. Downs, who visited Dallas during the pre-draft process, would fit the profile for a team desperate for defensive upgrades.
[RELATED: Cowboys Host Downs On “30” Visit]
Dallas would probably need to trade up for Downs, as ESPN’s Peter Schrager noted during an interview with DLLS Sports that the Ohio State safety falling to No. 12 overall should be considered highly unlikely. Schrager had previously mocked Downs to Dallas, but feedback within the league led the veteran reporter to back off that prediction. Downs’ floor may be the Bengals at No. 10, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds.
Adding Jalen Thompson and retaining Malik Hooker via pay cut, the Cowboys also signed P.J. Locke. They would be bucking NFL draft norms by trading up that far for a safety. Dallas holds the Nos. 12 and 20 overall picks, and moving into the top four would be quite costly. The Bengals have seen safety issues cause trouble ever since Jessie Bates‘ 2023 departure, but they did add Bryan Cook on a three-year, $40.25MM deal. Starter Jordan Battle is entering a contract year.
Cincinnati also may be a place to monitor with regards to a first-round cornerback investment, Breer adds, while also mentioning Rueben Bain Jr. as a potential option. The Bengals have both Daxton Hill and DJ Turner on expiring contracts at corner. The team has two first-round DEs — Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart — rostered and gave Boye Mafe a three-year, $60MM pact in free agency.
If the Giants pass on Downs at No. 5, Washington may lurk. The Commanders included Downs in a bulk “30” visit at a TopGolf complex, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Washington has proceeded this way in the recent past, as its 2024 QB summit reminds. The Commanders added Nick Cross on a two-year, $13MM deal last month and have Will Harris, Quan Martin and special-teamer Jeremy Reaves rostered at the position. Washington (at No. 7) is viewed as Jeremiyah Love‘s likely floor, but Downs would also be a logical choice. It does not appear likely the standout safety — one of four ex-Buckeyes who could be chosen in the top 10 — will need to wait long to hear his name called.
Titans Out On Rueben Bain At No. 4?
Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. is heading into the draft as a potential top-10 pick, but it does not appear the Titans are considering him at fourth overall. Bain is “not their guy,” Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network hears.
The Titans have at least done their due diligence on Bain, whom they met with in late March. For his part, Jeremiah ranks Bain as the seventh-best prospect in the draft. The 6-foot-2, 263-pounder’s stock is high after he capped off a three-year run at Miami with his most productive season in 2025. Over 16 games, Bain tallied 54 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks and the lone interception of his Hurricanes career. He was named a consensus All-American for his efforts.
Despite Bain’s prolific college output and considerable upside, there have been concerns over his arm length throughout the pre-draft process. His arms measured 30 7/8 inches at the Combine, which ranks in the 1st percentile and falls well below the 33-inch average. On a much more alarming note, it came to light over the weekend that Bain was the driver in a fatal car crash in 2024. Bain was cited for careless driving after a crash left one of his car’s passengers in a coma. She passed away three months later, though the charge against Bain was later dropped. The Titans found out about it last summer, but it “didn’t really” affect their evaluation of Bain, a source told Nick Suss of the Tennessean.
While Bain may not fit what the Titans are looking for, they are reportedly considering Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with their top pick. Other possibilities include Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. Unless the team trades down, there is a high chance of one of those players becoming a member of the Titans on April 23.
Cowboys Could Trade Up In Round 1
APRIL 14: A belief around the NFL points to Dallas being a team to monitor regarding a trade-up, per veteran insider Jordan Schultz, who notes the team packaging Nos. 12 and 20 is being viewed as a possible scenario. Trade-up and trade-down rumors are obviously commonplace around this time, but Schultz adds several teams believe the Cowboys are eyeing a player the Giants also covet. Moving ahead of New York’s No. 5 pick would be pricey, though it appears that is on the table.
The Giants have been tied to a few prospects at 5. Downs, Sonny Styles, Jeremiyah Love and Carnell Tate have been connected to Big Blue during the pre-draft process. This situation could soon remind of 2021, when the Eagles eyed Giants target DeVonta Smith and used the Cowboys (at No. 10) to trade in front of New York. While the Giants are in position to land another impact player near the top of a draft, the prospect of them moving down — perhaps for a cornerback, where the team has done extensive work — has also been mentioned.
APRIL 13: The Cowboys are entering the 2026 draft with a clear need to upgrade on the defensive side of the ball. They currently hold the 12th and 20th overall picks, but trading up for an elite defender is not out of the question.
In particular, Dallas could target Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who they see as “instant-impact game changers on defense,” according to ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
Downs is the consensus No. 1 safety in this year’s draft class and has a case to be the top defender in terms of pure talent. However, teams will likely prioritize edge rushers and cornerbacks over a safety in the first five picks, which could put the two-time All-American within the Cowboys’ range.
Dallas already reshaped their safety room this offseason by signing Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke in free agency to join Malik Hooker. However, none of the three are younger than 28 years old and only Thompson is signed past the 2026 season. Downs could carve out a role right away, especially in the slot where the team lacks proven contributors, while serving as the centerpiece of the safety room in the long-term.
The Cowboys may look back to 2022, when Kyle Hamilton fell to the Ravens at No. 14, and hope that the same happens with Downs. However, teams clearly overthought Hamilton as a prospect after his sub-par athletic testing, and Downs, perhaps looking to avoid a similar fall, declined to participate this year. That may prevent the former Buckeye from making it to the 12th pick and force Dallas to trade up.
Bain, the Cowboys’ other priority target, was already seen as a potential faller after measuring in with sub-31-inch arms at the Combine. It does not seem that recent news of two careless driving citations will tank his stock, but length concerns may be enough to drop him out of the top five.
Dallas re-signed Sam Williams and traded for Rashan Gary to strengthen their edge rusher room this offseason, but they could stand to add a young, high-upside talent in this draft. 2025 second-round Donovan Ezeiruaku disappointed as a rookie, and while he still has potential, he may not have the same All-Pro ceiling as Bain.
Miami DE Rueben Bain Cited For Careless Driving In Connection To Death
APRIL 13: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirms the “general sentiment” around the NFL is that the latest Bain reporting will not impact his draft stock.
APRIL 12: Just 11 days from away from the potential start of his NFL career, Miami (Fla.) defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. is facing some controversy that has potential to hurt his draft status. Oliver Connolly of The Read Optional broke the story today that, in 2024, Bain was “cited for careless driving” in an accident that left a young woman in a coma for three months before her eventual passing.
During his sophomore season, Bain reportedly was driving at 4am with four passengers in his car. The victim was a 22-year-old female college student from Georgia visiting Miami over spring break — a statement from the victim’s family in response to Connolly’s request for comment expressed that they “are not seeking public attention” at this time, so the victim will remain unnamed here, though her name is available at the source link.
According to police crash records (via Armando Salguero of OutKick), Bain’s vehicle struck another car before then colliding with the “concrete barriers on both sides of the highway.” The victim “suffered incapacitating injuries and was rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center.” Comatose, she failed to regain consciousness before dying a little under three months later. A second passenger also sustained injuries from the crash and ended up hospitalized. The police report for the crash lists that Bain “operated his vehicle in a careless or negligent manner” but that his condition was “apparently normal.” The report is marked to show that there was no suspected use of drugs or alcohol and that no tests to determine such use were performed at the time.
The victim’s family created a GoFundMe page to help with “the financial strain” put on the victim’s father, who missed a significant amount of time at work to be by his daughter’s side. Per Connolly, “no finding of criminal liability” was made in connection with the crash or the victim’s death, and “the careless driving charge against Bain was dismissed by a court approximately two weeks before” the victim’s passing. According to Trey Wallace, also at OutKick, the charge was dismissed because of a “defective citation” after Bain entered a not guilty plea.
At the time of this writing, Bain is viewed as one of a group of three pass rushers seen as the consensus top prospects at the position, including Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey. Draft projections have him mostly going in the top 10 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, and certainly not lasting into the teens if he is still on the board at No. 11 overall.
Connolly’s story presents quotes from multiple team executives and other sources claiming they “feel like (Bain was) not transparent” with them or that they “are concerned about multiple incidents.” Wallace’s report contains more information on a second careless driving citation that occurred in October 2025, though this case was also dismissed because of a defective citation. Connolly even draws parallels to the historic slide of offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, who was projected by some to be the No. 1 pick in 2016 but ended up falling to 13th overall after videos were leaked minutes before the draft showing him smoking from a bong.
Others in the media don’t seem to be reacting with the same level of concern for Bain’s draft stock. In the wake of Connolly breaking the story, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer added that “teams have been aware of this case for a long, long time” and that “a lawsuit associated with the case…was settled in Miami.” The plaintiff of the settled lawsuit was the driver of the car Bain made contact with before crashing. Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS claimed that every team, except one, that he had “spoken with…(had) been satisfied with Bain’s explanation” of events and consider “the matter handled.” In addition to the victim’s family’s request that their privacy be honored, their response to Connolly’s request for comment called her passing “the result of a tragic accident” and “(wished) Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career.”
It’s difficult to say at this point whether or not this information, which is seemingly new to the media but known by the teams in range to draft Bain, will affect his draft stock. Breer and Jones’ comments seem to indicate that, if this issue were going to hurt his draft position, it would have done so already. While the loss of life of the victim is tragic, there doesn’t appear to be any lingering ill will following Bain from the family most affected by it. It’s worth keeping an eye out, though, to see if any teams within range of Bain decide to take him off their board.
Commanders Eyeing Defense In Round 1?
On the strength of a surprisingly strong rookie Jayden Daniels campaign, the Commanders found themselves a game away from a Super Bowl appearance in 2024. Significant missed time for Daniels and a number of other key contributors led in part to a disappointing 2025 campaign, but another huge factor was a defense that gave up the most yards and the sixth-most points in the NFL. Because of that, ESPN’s Peter Schrager believes Washington will be looking to add to their defense when their pick in the first round arrives.
The Commanders have already done a bit of work to improve things on that side of the ball in free agency, signing outside linebackers Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Charles Omenihu, linebacker Leo Chenal, defensive tackle Tim Settle, cornerbacks Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon, and safety Nick Cross. Settle should join Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw on the defensive line.
Chenal should slot in next to Frankie Luvu to replace veteran Bobby Wagner in the starting lineup. Oweh, Chaisson, and Omenihu should bolster a pass rush that lost Jacob Martin and veteran Von Miller. Alongside a pair of recent high draft picks, Robertson and Witherspoon will attempt to make up for snaps lost with the departures of Marshon Lattimore, Jonathan Jones, and Noah Igbinoghene, while Cross should be an improvement at safety.
Despite the recent struggles of Payne and Kinlaw, the team already has enough salary sunk into the position, and there isn’t really an interior defender worth taking No. 7 overall. It’s probably safe to eliminate cornerback knowing the team added second-rounders in each of the past two drafts. The Commanders are also probably okay with the back end of their secondary being manned by Cross and Quan Martin, while Jeremy Reaves and Will Harris add depth. That leaves the inside and outside linebacker groups as the best areas to attack.
Schrager believes off-ball linebacker will be the play, projecting Ohio State’s Sonny Styles as the pick. Styles certainly could be a strong addition to the linebacking corps; he’s widely projected as the draft’s top option at the position. Wagner and Luvu dominated the snap share available at the linebacker position on Washington’s defense last year. Each player totaled over 1,100 snaps on defense, and the linebacker with the next-highest snap count topped out at 364. Even as a starter in Kansas City, Chenal was more of a rotation piece on the Chiefs defense. He didn’t even see half the snaps his fellow starters did.
Additionally, neither Luvu nor Chenal worked primarily off-ball last year. Both players served in fairly versatile roles by often lining up on the edge. Chenal split his time about 60-40 favoring off-ball work, while Luvu was much closer to 50-50. Because the Commanders lost their veteran, off-ball stalwart, Styles makes a ton of sense here. Installing the Buckeyes’ top inside linebacker prospect in the middle would allow for Luvu and Chenal to continue in their roaming, supportive roles.
The team could also look at edge rusher. Unfortunately, Styles’ fellow linebacker — and projected NFL edge rusher — Arvell Reese is expected to be long gone at this point in the draft. After Reese, there’s an expectation that one of either Texas Tech’s David Bailey or Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. will also be selected. There’s a strong possibility that the prospect that isn’t selected after Reese could make its way to Washington at the ninth pick.
Oweh, Chaisson, and Omenihu certainly improve the team’s pass rush over what was left following departures in free agency, but they have only one double-digit sack season between the three of them. If they get an opportunity to add Bailey or Bain in this spot, it may be hard to pass up that kind of value.
This also disregards the offensive side of the ball, where the departures of Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown make wide receiver a potential position of need, as well. Ultimately, several factors will affect the decision the Commanders make 12 days from now, and even those factors could change in the time between then and now. But if Schrager is correct, and the Commanders have defense in mind on Day 1, a linebacker could be an impact move for the franchise and defensive-minded head coach Dan Quinn.
Bengals Host Rueben Bain, Jacob Rodriguez
Thanks in part to a defense that ranked 30th in the NFL in scoring and 31st in yards, the Bengals sputtered to a 6-11 record in 2025. A healthy season from quarterback Joe Burrow would go a long way toward an improved record in 2026, but the Bengals are still in dire need of defensive help. They figure to focus on that side of the ball in the upcoming draft.
Holding the 10th overall pick and looking to boost a lackluster pass rush, the Bengals hosted Miami defensive end Rueben Bain on Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. There are serious concerns over Bain’s short arms, and some regard Miami teammate and potential first-rounder Akheem Mesidor as the better edge prospect. Although Mesidor is already 25, more teams than expected prefer him to the soon-to-be 22-year-old Bain, according to Albert Breer of SI.com.
While there may be leeriness toward Bain in some circles, the 6-foot-2, 263-pounder is widely considered a top-10 prospect. To finish off a terrific three-season run with the Hurricanes, Bain won ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American in 2025. In addition to an FBS-high 83 pressures, he tallied 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 16 games.
The Bengals ended last year just 25th in sacks, which explains their interest in Bain. They also lost their best pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson, to the AFC North rival Ravens in free agency. While Hendrickson barely factored in during a seven-game, injury-wrecked 2025, he posted a league-leading 35 sacks over the previous two seasons. Expecting that type of production from Bain or anyone else would be unrealistic, but the Bengals would benefit from adding a new blue-chip talent on the edge.
Cincinnati signed former Seahawk Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60MM contract in free agency, though the team also lost Joseph Ossai to the Jets. That leaves the Bengals with Mafe, Myles Murphy and former first-round pick Shemar Stewart as their top edge rushers. The jury is still out on Stewart, a raw prospect they chose 17th overall last year, after he mustered just 11 tackles and a sack in an eight-game rookie season. Pro Football Focus ranked Stewart’s performance last among 119 qualifiers at his position.
Meanwhile, although there are questions over whether the Bengals will add a linebacker, they hosted decorated Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez on Friday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. If Rodriguez falls to the Bengals’ second-round pick, they could consider snagging the 6-1, 231-pounder. The Bengals’ second selection slots in at No. 41, which is exactly where Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks Rodriguez among this year’s prospects.
Rodriguez, who began his college career at Virginia, broke out at Texas Tech in 2024. Over 13 games, he racked up 127 tackles, 10.5 TFL, five sacks and three forced fumbles en route to first-team All-Big 12 honors. Last season was another first-team All-Big 12 showing for the 23-year-old Rodriguez, who notched 128 tackles (11 TFL), forced a whopping seven fumbles, intercepted four passes and recorded a sack. He earned unanimous All-America honors, took home major hardware (including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for the best defender in college football) and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy race.
In moving on from Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson, the Bengals have turned over their linebacker group in the past year-plus. The team spent a second-rounder on Demetrius Knight and a fourth-rounder on Barrett Carter last spring. They took over as rookie starters, but neither thrived on a bottom-tier defense. Although the Bengals have not made any needle-moving additions at linebacker this offseason, that could change if they draft Rodriguez or another high-end prospect.
NFL Announces 16 Prospects Attending NFL Draft
There will be 16 players waiting in the green room when the NFL Draft kicks off later this month. The NFL announced the following attendees for the first night of the draft (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport):
- LB David Bailey, Texas Tech
- DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
- DB Mansoor Delane, LSU
- DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State
- DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
- DB Colton Hood, Tennessee
- WR Makai Lemon, USC
- RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
- OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
- DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
- OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
- LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
- QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
- LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
- WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
- WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Of the 16 prospects invited to Day 1 of the draft, a whopping five of them are from one school: Ohio State. For comparison’s sake, the leader during last year’s draft was Alabama, who sent three prospects ot the green room. The Big Ten is the leading conference, with six prospects attending the first night of the draft.
Notably, expected first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza won’t be attending the draft, as the Indiana quarterback revealed that he’ll instead be celebrating with friends and family in Atlanta. That only leaves one signal-caller attending the event in Alabama’s Ty Simpson. There’s no guarantee that Simpson will even be selected on the first night of the draft, a situation we saw most recently when green-room attendee Jalen Milroe fell to the third round last year.
Chiefs To Host DE Rueben Bain
To no surprise, Rueben Bain remains one of the prospects taking several visits leading up to the NFL draft. The Miami edge rusher will meet with another interested team on Thursday.
Bain has a top 30 visit lined up with the Chiefs for today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That represents another team near the top of the first-round order which will meet in person with the 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Bain has previously taken visits with the Dolphins and Titans. Kansas City owns pick No. 9, which falls in between the Titans’ and Dolphins’ top selections.
The Chiefs have taken a look at some of the top receiver prospects in the 2026 class. Taking one would help an offense in need of a stronger showing in the passing game, but as expected Kansas City has looked into of number of pass rushers as well in recent days. The team has met with Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey. Those two are expected to be the top edge rushers to come off the board, leaving Kansas City with the possibility of looking elsewhere at the position. That could very well result in Bain being selected.
During his three-year tenure with the Hurricanes, Bain amassed 20.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss. He earned first-team All-American honors for his play in 2025, a year in which he and teammate Akheem Mesidor helped lead Miami to the national championship game. The team’s pass rush shone during the College Football Playoff, and Mesidor is also seen as a first-round prospect. Despite the fact he will enter the NFL as a 25-year-old rookie, Mesidor was recently reported to be viewed by some teams as a better player than Bain.
In any event, bringing in a notable pass rush presence early in the draft could be key for the Chiefs. The team released Mike Danna earlier this offseason, and Charles Omenihu departed in free agency. George Karlaftis is on the books through 2030 and former first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah is still in the fold. Adding a starting-caliber edge rusher would nevertheless be impactful for Kansas City’s defense, a unit which ranked just 23rd in sacks last season.
Bain has been the subject of questions regarding his arm length, although that may not be a major concern amongst NFL evaluators. Especially if that remains the case, he will not need to wait long to hear his name called on the opening night of the draft.
Teams Viewing Miami DE Akheem Mesidor As Better Than Teammate Rueben Bain?
After a run to the College Football Playoff Championship game, the Hurricanes are primed to send several standout players to the league. Two names in particular have frequented top-10 projections as draft pundits offer opinions on offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. A third player has frequently been linked to first-round mock drafts, and according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, some in the league believe he’s better than one of those other two.
That player would be none other than Bain’s fellow pass rusher Akheem Mesidor. Mesidor began his college football journey at West Virginia, where he made a big impact on the edge as a true freshman, recording five sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. In Year 2 with the Mountaineers, the team opted to shift Mesidor inside to more of role on the interior line. Mesidor still produced, logging 4.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss, but opted to transfer and ended up in Coral Gables.
With Miami, Mesidor returned right back to a role on the edge, and he was impressive in doing so, leading the team with seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. In 2023, Bain arrived as a true freshman, and when Mesidor was shut down with injury, missing all but three games, Bain asserted himself as a difference maker with 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. The next year, it was Bain’s turn to deal with injury, and though he played in nine games, he looked like a shell of his freshman self, logging only 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss while clearly limited due to injury. Mesidor didn’t fare too much better that year, registering only 5.5 sacks with nine tackles for loss.
Bain came back healthy this past season, and the duo immediately put NFL scouts on notice as they disrupted a top Notre Dame offensive line early and often to open the year, notably sealing the Hurricanes’ Week 1 matchup by meeting at the quarterback twice in the final two plays before a Fighting Irish false start ran the final seconds off the clock. Both pass rushers would go on to enjoy the best production of their careers, shining especially bright on the biggest stage. In four CFP games against Texas A&M, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Indiana, Mesidor recorded 5.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss while Bain delivered five sacks and eight tackles for loss.
There’s certainly a case to be made for Mesidor, who hasn’t received as much love as Bain in early draft talks despite never being outshined by him on the field. Mesidor’s final 2025 figures (12.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss) did outpace Bain’s (9.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss). So why isn’t he up in the top 10 with Bain? One theory might be drawn from looking at their time not playing together. When Mesidor was hurt, Bain stepped up and stood out as a true freshman. When Bain was hurt, Mesidor reverted back to his old West Virginia production despite being a fifth-year athlete.
Additionally, when they did play together, one could argue quite a bit of Mesidor’s success came as a result of the disruption or extra attention being paid to Bain on the other side. The same concept could certainly be attributed to Bain, too, but Mesidor drew fewer double teams throughout the season. That’s not to say that Mesidor can’t get it done on his own, though. Mesidor is seen as more of a pure pass rusher, with a full arsenal of attack moves and an effective plan of attack. Teams looking for the more talented pass rusher will see Mesidor as the superior talent, whereas Bain gains the edge with overall disruption.
Bain offers greater versatility along the line, though both have played both edge and interior snaps. Less reliant on an arsenal, though he still has one, Bain’s methods are violent, quick, and powerful. His ability to bring the fight to his opponent often overcomes the concerns over his shorter arm length while his incredible bend for his frame help him to evade and finish. Even without the pass rushing prowess, Bain’s 83 pressures in 2025 were the most in a season since 2014.
Both defensive ends do have flaws that draw the ire of some scouts and teams. Bain’s arms are seemingly a big concern, though it increasingly appears to be more of an issue in the media than in the actual NFL. Mesidor, after six years of college (thanks to COVID-19 and an injury redshirt), will be 25 years old when he’s drafted. Regardless, some teams will overlook these flaws and take a chance on the upside both players displayed at the college level of the game, and while some may view Mesidor as the more talented pass rusher, Bain is currently in line to hear his name called a bit earlier on in the evening.