Would Rueben Bain Land On Bucs’ Naughty List?
April 14th, 2026
Every April, the Bucs’ owners, aka Team Glazer, receive a no-draft list from Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht.
It gets delivered hours before the NFL Draft kicks off.
Licht has said he wants the owners, who may reading a sea of mock drafts, to understand what players are off the Bucs’ draft board and why.
Licht thinks it’s common courtesy for the owners to not sit in the Bucs’ draft war room quietly hoping the team drafts a player — or quietly wondering why Licht passed on a stud talent — that has no chance of landing in Tampa.
And that brings Joe to the Bucs’ great need: more edge rush talent. The Bucs’ edge rush is very inconsistent and downright anemic at times.
With the No. 15 overall pick in nine short days, will the Bucs address that yawning need?
One guy who could fill it is Reuben Bain, the University of Miami edge rusher. Joe wrote all about the guy. However, a media report popped over the weekend that revealed Bain was the driver in a 2024 crash that killed a passenger in his vehicle — at 4 a.m. Bain was only charged with careless driving and the charges were dismissed. CBS reports Bain has been cited for careless driving again since the tragedy.
This creates a somewhat interesting situation. Last week, Bain was widely considered a top-12 pick by the mock draft community, ahead of his edge rusher counterpart at Miami, Akheem Mesidor. However, the mock draft crowd was unaware of the driving history until a couple of days ago — while NFL teams and their teams of investigators certainly were.
Does this mean Bain has been overvalued in mock drafts because he was unknown to be off team draft boards? Are the Bucs one of those teams?
Or, does Bain meet the Bucs’ character criteria and the powerful edge rusher — and he’s got a lot of power — will be in their lap at No. 15?
April 14th, 2026 at 10:02 am
Go on ahead and push him down, we’ll be waiting.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:04 am
He better not. Sapp fall 2.0, please.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:06 am
Pass, the guy never learned. It will happen again.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:12 am
Ask teams do they regret not drafting Jalen Carter? Bain is a talent the Bucs would be crazy to pass on. Licht better stop drafting these choir boys.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:14 am
lol….
i can hear todd now telling licht,” what did i tell you about Bain, no need to draft him, I can produce sacks!!..we’ll just coach it better lol
GO BUCS!!!!!
April 14th, 2026 at 10:17 am
with this news, cleveland might trade up to get him lol….
Bain and Myles would DRIVE qbs crazy lol
sorry, couldnt resist lol
GO BUCS!!!!!!
April 14th, 2026 at 10:18 am
all jokes aside, if he’s there @15 get him….
but make sure he has a personal babysitter much like DB was for JW lol
GO BUCS!!!!!
April 14th, 2026 at 10:18 am
Maybe if he can make a video helping an old lady cross the street Licht will draft him.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:23 am
Killed a passenger in his car, charged with careless driving. Then he gets charged with careless driving again. I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:32 am
Careless driving after already killing someone due to careless driving? Hard Pass.
James Pearce Jr. slipped in last years draft because of handful of misdemeanors. He had a great rookie season of 10+ sacks. Two months ago, he was arrested on two charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated stalking. He was also charged with fleeing and eluding police officers, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence to his person.
Pearce Jr. is probably heading to prison for years and most likely will never play another down of football. I’m so glad the Dixie Chicks traded away draft picks to get this guy.
Let someone else deal with Bain Jr.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:32 am
1995 NFL draft the night before a 12 noon draft Warren Sapp failed 6 drugs test at UM. Sapp was hands down the number 1 pick but dropped all the way to 12 and the bucs drafted him and the rest was history. I mean Sapp 2.0 imo if he falls to 15. Lets not overlook Jalen Carter had a car wreck and still went in the top 10 of the draft so I don’t think this will make his draft stock fall. I mean it was over 2 years ago as compared to Jalen Carter’s was 3 or 4 months before the draft.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:35 am
Careless driving is a “loose” charge, and these 2 situations could be totally different but the fact that someone died while he was driving is a hard truth. And how he feels about it then and now all would play into his draft. If he is truly remorseful and it shows that he has learned that’s one thing. I have read that he has refused to address it with some teams but again, is it because they have no chance of drafting him based on their draft position or is Bain being a tool? I have heard nothing but good things about him. We haven’t heard enough about the incidents to make a clear decision but to only be charged with careless driving resulting in death says the authorities didn’t place as much blame on him as they could have.
April 14th, 2026 at 10:52 am
I don’t know Stallworth, the way people, and judges, coddle athletes, Pearce could be playing this fall.
April 14th, 2026 at 11:13 am
Jack Burton Mercer Says:
April 14th, 2026 at 10:52 am
I don’t know Stallworth, the way people, and judges, coddle athletes, Pearce could be playing this fall.
you are correct, but remember, James’ situation involved battery against his girlfriend….who’s a popular basketball player…he may have to sit a while
On April 8th, 2026, Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said that edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is not with the team at the start of the voluntary offseason workout program as a result of his ongoing legal issues
GO BUCS!!!!
April 14th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Surprised he did not get charged with Reckless Driving which is a felony. The fact that he did it twice is concerning. And someone died.
I have not seen him make a public statement expressing remorse.
I’d pass.
April 14th, 2026 at 11:27 am
Driving around at 4 am is a little bit sketchy. From what I read the she did not have her seat belt on but everyone else did.
April 14th, 2026 at 11:30 am
I see he’s got USF WR Neptune on the ground in the picture. If he can guard wideouts he’s the perfect edge for Bowles.
April 14th, 2026 at 11:30 am
It’s never a good ideal to draft a player you feel uneasy about
My guy is Clemson Edge Rusher TJ Parker
April 14th, 2026 at 11:32 am
Oh brother. It doesn’t matter anyway. Whoever. Whatever.
🥃🍺
April 14th, 2026 at 11:37 am
Once again you’re talking about getting a edge rusher when you already have a edge rusher if you used your head and that edge rusher is VITA VEA..once again what’s the most important game of all he YEARS? Super Bowl and how did he play in the Super Bowl when he played edge rusher? Quit wasting his time being double team draft his replacement and let him play edge. He’ll give you more snaps and he’ll cave in that side of the line which will make your linebacker better which will make your safety’s better and which will make you a head coach seem like a genius and if you don’t try his replacement, then draft the best tight end because we’re gonna need to score more points to make up the all-time great leader, Mike Evans🏈❤️
April 14th, 2026 at 12:26 pm
He won’t be there if he was and the bucs didnt draft him they needa fire everyone and sell the team.
April 14th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
1995 draft of Sapp and Brooks (bad boy – good boy) changed the trajectory of the Bucs. All it took was a trade down and a trade up.
Many forget it was Sam Wyche and Rich McKay.
Let’s hope Jason has it in him to do something similar.
April 14th, 2026 at 1:10 pm
Hestoff the draft list for the Bucs.
April 14th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
I doubt this will affect his stock. It would be amazing if it did, and he were somehow available at 15.
April 14th, 2026 at 1:44 pm
Highly doubt Bain falls out of the top 10, but if some teams get spooked and he happens to fall to 15, JL will make that pick pretty quickly.
No way the Bucs could pass a talent like this at such a position of need. Hes a beast against the run and gets after the QB almost every single pass play. If he wasn’t getting a sack he was pushing them to Mesidor’s side or making them throw it away.
The kid is just too good to pass up.
April 14th, 2026 at 1:48 pm
I think the news was out there already, Joe. I remember reading it.
JPP slid to 15 without any red flags, so anything is possible. Personally, I’m hoping Styles falls far enough. Someone needs to put out some fake news on him just before the draft.
April 14th, 2026 at 1:50 pm
Harold, Vita is starting to get older now. We’ll be replacing him soon too.
April 14th, 2026 at 1:50 pm
btw, careless driving does not mean he was at fault.
April 14th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
Very hard pass. Stupidity and carelessness are a toxic combo.
I don’t care how good this guy is on the field. His history says this is his pattern.
We have enough issues on defense without bringing in a future felon.
And as Joe always says, rookie pass rushers don’t make an impact in year one.
You can be an a$$ kicker without being a sh@t bird.