Report: Bucs Rated Rueben Bain The Top Edge Rusher In The Draft
May 2nd, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
So this week, Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht went public with rare insight into his top-secret draft evaluatons.
After selecting Miami Mauler edge rusher Rueben Bain in Round 1 of the draft, Licht said Bain was “inside the top-5” on Tampa Bay’s draft board. He was selected at No. 15 overall. But were edge rushers David Bailey, selected No. 2 overall, and Arvell Reese (No. 5) ranked higher at One Buc Palace?
Apparently not.
NFL insider Peter Schrager, a close personal friend of Bucs assistant general manager Mike Greenberg, hopped on ESPN TV this week and offered more on the Bucs’ assessment of Bain.
“It was a horrible night for Bain in that he thought he was going top-10. He slipped to No. 15, but guess what, he’s going to a franchise that looked at him as their top dude off the edge,” Schrager said.
If Schrager is accurate, and Joe wouldn’t bet a nickel against it, then that would explain the ecstasy seen on video in the Bucs’ draft room after the pick. How Licht resisted seeking a trade up for Bain is hard for Joe to fathom. Kudos to the GM.
In a moment of cynicism, Joe would say Licht didn’t try to trade up for Bain because the Bucs don’t value an edge rush enough. But that’s not really fair.
Licht’s intel on teams’ targets before Bain was drafted was spot on. He didn’t make a deal and the Bucs are very likely better off for it; Joe wouldn’t want to think about the roster if the Bucs traded their fourth-round pick and didn’t selected Bain’s teammate, nickel cornerback Keionte Scott.
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:10 pm
BS. Licht sends out this bs every year. He definitely was my top choice tho. He’s bringing that seag from Miami. Nobody else on that Defense has it
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:13 pm
A whole lot of luck involved. I never even considered him…thinking he was gone in the first seven picks. And that attitude, man we got a real one!!
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:19 pm
Now that is very scary (and telling) that he had him ranked ‘higher’ than BAILEY. It definitely would NOT surprise me. Just Ludicrous.
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:24 pm
So who were they looking to pick if he was gone??
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:34 pm
Doesn’t matter! Ray Lewis was picked in the 20’s or something…He had the Dline to vault him into the HOF
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:35 pm
Depends on what you like from an edge. I could see how teams could rank either one ahead of the other.
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:36 pm
this is why the glazers like him hes a company man. knows how to bs and executes their bs
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:37 pm
And getting both Bain and Scott is definitely a home run.
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:41 pm
Just more misinformation and false narratives from Bud Licht.
He falls ass backwards into a highly rated player due to circumstances out of his control. Much like the signing of Tom Brady.
But when he actually has to do the job he’s paid for he once again has to try and prove he’s the smartest guy in the room. He’s not.
Not trading up for J-Rod was dumb as can be. Following it up with a no name WR so he can try and jab Mike Evans was just laughable.
No wonder he kept Bowels around for another season of failure.
Blind leading the blind. #NoPlayoffs
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:59 pm
Bain is an End, Baily is a linebacker, big difference. I would like to see Baily’s tape vs Bains.
May 2nd, 2026 at 3:18 pm
I believe it. Bain should’ve gone 2.
May 2nd, 2026 at 3:25 pm
Lynchmob:
You sure are one miserable dude.
Why dont you just go get yourself a Panthers jersey and beat it?
You hate JL and Bowles..we all get it.
You weren’t a Bucs fan in the 80s and expect a Superbowl appearance every year Doesn’t work that way kid.
Be gone
May 2nd, 2026 at 3:27 pm
Not really Ballwasher. They’re both edge rushers. Bailey is the better speed pass rusher. Bain the the better power rusher and sets the edge in the run game better.
May 2nd, 2026 at 3:51 pm
If this is true who were the 4 players they had ranked higher. Jason said Bain was top 5 on their board. It’s possible he was their 2 or 3rd best player and was just being imprecise. Seems like he would have clapped back and said we had him higher than top 5 when asked.
May 2nd, 2026 at 3:56 pm
Lynchmob,
I second Fanofdabucs sentiments with one inclusion. On your way to a new team take RodMunch with you.
May 2nd, 2026 at 4:08 pm
@LynchMob50
I try to stay above the silliness that gets posted here but I can’t let your post slide.
Licht didn’t fall backwards into getting Brady. Brady came to Tampa Bay because of the team Jason Licht had assembled. Do you think Brady didn’t have his people evaluating all 31 teams to find the best opportunity to win a SB without Belichick/the Pats?
If Licht doesn’t bring BA in as HC and if Licht, the front office and the Glazers don’t put that team together Brady never would have signed with the Bucs.
If Brady hadn’t signed with the Bucs we don’t get Gronk, Lenny and AB.
Without those guys Tampa doesn’t win the SB at home.
You guys that bash Licht are so deep in your own head you can’t see the big picture.
Licht isn’t perfect and he has drafted and acquired some busts, that’s true.
But Jason Licht is one of the top GMs in the NFL. His total body of work proves that.
May 2nd, 2026 at 4:28 pm
Lynchmob50,
Are you as dumb as you sound?
You are the perfect definition of a troll
Just go root for another team. Might be just what you need.
May 2nd, 2026 at 4:57 pm
I had Rueben Bain in my top 5
1. Jeremiyah Love
2. Sonny Styles
3. Rueben Bain
4. David Bailey
5. Arvell Reese
May 2nd, 2026 at 4:58 pm
Best pick ever. GM genius.
May 2nd, 2026 at 5:26 pm
Lakeland – I had the same but with Bain at 2 behind Love.
May 2nd, 2026 at 5:27 pm
Yes, they had him rated that high when Jason Taylor was coaching him. After a season under His Geniusness, he’ll look more like Reuben Sandwich.
May 2nd, 2026 at 6:08 pm
Doughboy Says:
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:24 pm
So who were they looking to pick if he was gone??
…………………………………………………..
Would have been Mesidor
May 2nd, 2026 at 6:15 pm
@DoughBoy
They were probably gonna take Mesidor.
May 2nd, 2026 at 6:16 pm
@MelvinJunior
I would’ve taken Bain over Bailey, too!
May 2nd, 2026 at 8:03 pm
Do you think their 1-2-3 were Styles Bain Bailey or Bain Styles Bailey?
May 2nd, 2026 at 9:18 pm
Licht is talking to Bain, telling him that the Bucs had him as the best. Licht will sell that narritive and let others tell Bain that he was disrepected. A very motivated Bain results.
May 2nd, 2026 at 10:29 pm
Idc what anyone says (including Licht), I will never believe this is true.
If he was rated that high, how could they POSSIBLY have risked him dropping to 15…
I know Caleb Downs was mentioned as one, but unless there were at least 2 other guys besides Bain that all were graded about the same sitting there around pick 10, there’s a 0% chance this is true. Zero.
I call absolute BS.
May 3rd, 2026 at 6:59 am
Key word is “rusher” Todd.
Go Bucs!
May 3rd, 2026 at 9:01 am
It’s hard to believe any coach or GM, in matters such as these. It’s also difficult to trust this regimes’ ability to draft a good pass-rusher; they NEVER have!
Case in point:
Before the draft last year, Licht said, “Teams have pass-rushers rated higher than we do. We don’t believe there are any difference-makers.” (Close, not verbatim). Well, Atlanta found 2, in the same draft!? They both totaled 21 sacks last year! However, our ROH GM, DMW (Dead Man Walking) Defensive Genius DC/HC & scouting department, found those players inferior!? How can we possibly trust the Bucs’ evaluation process on pass-rushers? They truly should make up their minds on a Pass-rusher, then do the opposite.
The annual questionable (being kind) 2nd round pick, that is as reliable as death & taxes, doesn’t foster confidence, either. It is my opinion that everyone not playing in the game is over rated, sans the Rams head coach. I would break my arm off to have that guy lead our team.
The Bucs were the fortuitous beneficiaries in Bain’s fall. I believe Bain will be good. I hope the other prospects will be.
May 3rd, 2026 at 10:55 am
Licht got lucky for the Bain pick! Just fell in the Bucs lap.
May 3rd, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Zion Young Baltimore
May 3rd, 2026 at 11:19 pm
Before the draft there was a number of places that had Bain as the top edge rusher, so it’s not out of the realm of reality that this is true.
May 4th, 2026 at 3:59 am
I guess their board looked something like this:
1. Reese (ILB)
2. Love (RB)
3. Styles (ILB)
4. Bain (OLB)
5. Bailey (OLB)
Delane could have been in there as well, but this is my best guess.