Rueben Bain Was “Inside The Top-5” On Tampa Bay Draft Board
April 29th, 2026
Bucs rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain.
This was a rare year in which Bucs officials could say “we got our guy” in Round 1 of the draft without people thinking they were floating a few ounces of BS.
Few teams get “their guy” when picking in the middle of Round 1 or later.
But on Thursday, the Bucs drafted Miami Mauler edge rusher Rueben Bain at No. 15 overall. He widely was considered a top-10 draft pick. Even Bain doubters ranked him as a top-12 or top-14 prospect.
On the official Bucs draft board, which is guarded by Team Glazer security, Bain was a top-5 pick. In fact, he might have been higher based on general manager Jason Licht’s comment yesterday on The Drive, on 95.7 FM WDAE.
“[Bain] was inside the top-5,” Licht said, when asked where Bain was on his draft board.
Perhaps more interesting was Licht noting how all seven Bucs draft picks were among the team’s top-100 players.
Joe realizes the entire Bucs draft board is about 150 players, as many are eliminated for reasons tied to need, character, film, etc. Still, the algebra on securing 7 of your top-100 players is not a common achievement. Licht admitted that.
Joe is high on the Bain pick for various reasons, and the Bucs truly getting “their guy” is one of them. The window on edge rusher excuses is quickly closing.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:07 pm
Showtime, baby!
April 29th, 2026 at 12:10 pm
Hard to believe the LSU TE was in the top 100
April 29th, 2026 at 12:13 pm
Rams gifted us Bain lol….thanks Les!!
GO BUCS!!!!
April 29th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
I had Bain higher than Arvell Reese and David Bailey.
I don’t look at the Sack numbers, l look at pressures, win rate etc
Rueben Bain had 83 pressures last season, the most in college football
I look at Josiah Trotter in a similar way
He had 13 TFL, 14 pressures, he made a living in the backfield
That’s what we want, young defensive players that can penetrate the backfield
Who can disrupt, and cause chaos, players that attack
We don’t need defensive players that sit and wait for the play to come to them
April 29th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
i kind of believe it you had a qb, rb , some wrs and tackles go positions bucs didn’t need
April 29th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
Jump on em like white on rice.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
“ We don’t need defensive players that sit and wait for the play to come to them “
Except that’s what they’re coached to do. Expecting different results from the same operation is par for the course though.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:35 pm
I’m not buying the LSU guy was inside their top ten. Come on now. Don’t gaslicht us
April 29th, 2026 at 12:36 pm
I can see it don’t think it was for what he did as a tightened more of the impact he will have on special teams.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:41 pm
Seeing will be believing.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
The way bain snatched that hat up on draft day looking for work that’s the attitude this defense has been lacking can’t wait for the season to start. Tampa bain let’s go.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:47 pm
“I had Bain higher than Arvell Reese and David Bailey.”
So did Jarvis Landry, he felt Bain should’ve gone 2nd overall, but was glad for where he landed-which is with us.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Which guy was Baine ranked higher than …
1. Fernando Mendoza
2. David Bailey
3. Arvell Reese
4. Sonny Styles
5. Jeremiah Love
Baine isn’t a Buc if any of these guys are on the board.
April 29th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Lakeland Says:
April 29th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
I had Bain higher than Arvell Reese and David Bailey.
I had him #1 lol…Max and Bain would gave the AFC West fits
GO BUCS!!!!
April 29th, 2026 at 1:08 pm
“Which guy was Baine ranked higher than …
1. Fernando Mendoza”
Why would Mendoza be on Lichts’ board?
April 29th, 2026 at 1:14 pm
Rueben Bain had 897 snaps last season with the Canes
That’s unheard of in college football
And he played at a high level on every snap
I don’t think I ever seen him winded, and loafing
That is really extraordinary, if you think about it
Especially playing in the burning heat of South Florida
April 29th, 2026 at 1:20 pm
Lakeland Says:
April 29th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
We don’t need defensive players that sit and wait for the play to come to them
^^^^^^^^
I agree, the Bucs defense looked like some version of a “Prevent” at times last year.
April 29th, 2026 at 1:46 pm
There are 22 positions on a NFL team not counting Kickers, Punters , Long snappers….5 per position is 110 players.
You can’t possibly have the LSU TE in your top 100…..no way….Dont BS us…
April 29th, 2026 at 1:47 pm
Move Braswell to LB
April 29th, 2026 at 1:52 pm
I love Bain and think he’s a great fit. I think he’s the best all round edge in the draft when it comes to rushing the passer and playing the run. But Bailey is by far the best pure edge rushing when it comes to getting after the QB.
I said it back in January that I would be happy with either Bain or Bailey. Once I saw where the Bucs were picking, I didn’t think that had any cha6of happening.
So glad it did and the Bucs didn’t hesitate to take Bain.
April 29th, 2026 at 2:01 pm
I’m excited about the defense additions this offseason only time will tell if it all works out
April 29th, 2026 at 2:17 pm
Bain
Reese
Delane
Styles
Bailey
Would be my top five picks for Bucs. I’d consider swapping out Bailey for the running back Love or Caleb Downs, too. I saw Bailey once or twice and thought he was good but not over powering or particularly scary. Styles I’ve seen about 30 times and thought the same. Reese might be great, but he might also turn out to be Vernon Gholston, Williams more athletic brother who was great at OSU, sixth pick in draft, but flopped badly for Jets. I like Bain more than any of them.
April 29th, 2026 at 2:22 pm
@SlyPirate, you don’t know crap.You can’t even spell Bain’s name correctly. Shows how much of a fan you truly are.
April 29th, 2026 at 2:38 pm
Laard, Will was Vernon’s cousin I believe. But yes, Vernon was a huge bust. Really surprising since he was so productive at OSU.
April 29th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
I think Fordham could be good for them if they give him a chance. He was a good LB at NC St. I don’t think many people actually realize how many good players & hall of famers actually come out of the ACC. The SEC gets alot of credit & yeah good players come out of there also but I don’t think many people actually realize how many actually do come out of the ACC.
April 29th, 2026 at 3:14 pm
Keionte Scott is faster than Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. I love the fact we now have someone on defense that can effectively shadow them or a dangerous Tight End.
April 29th, 2026 at 3:41 pm
I watched a lot of Ohio State and Miami and Bain was consistently more active than any of the OSU guys. Reese & Styles were splitting plays with I think Styles hitting more unless it was time for a drink and I didn’t see him. Never saw Bailey but Bains tape looks just so much more ferocious than his. His tape in the CBS bowl games just screams player.
April 29th, 2026 at 4:16 pm
I m just waiting for the time when a GM says after the Draft that he is disappointed because the team didnt get some of the top players in their board and they missed on a player they really wanted. Now that would be something.
That will be when I can be 100% sure a GM speaks the truth.
April 29th, 2026 at 4:19 pm
The math on the board stuff should lecture every year. The top 5 means top 8 since since we wouldn’t draft a qb lt or rb.
Still good but Jason has done enough selling for me but needs to get us more water for the boat trip as Jerry eckwood said.
April 29th, 2026 at 4:27 pm
It’s more like “we got a guy we like even better than the guy we had projected to be our guy!”
LOL
April 29th, 2026 at 6:09 pm
Robert Says:
April 29th, 2026 at 2:22 pm
@SlyPirate, you don’t know crap. You can’t even spell Bain’s name correctly. Shows how much of a fan you truly are. Oh man thanks for that laugh. LFG BUCS
April 29th, 2026 at 6:10 pm
I’m still smiling after that draft. Best draft since 95
April 29th, 2026 at 6:21 pm
McBozo’s on the move.
April 29th, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Thank you for the correction Steven007.
April 29th, 2026 at 11:25 pm
I liked Baker alot before he sacrificed his team and played through all those injuries and lied about the injuries last season. I think Baker will have a fantastic season this upcoming season. But But…let’s not get it twisted, I wonder…I don’t know, just pondering here…I wonder if Baker played through all those injuries because he wanted to give himself more substance in contract negotiations he is probably having this offseason. I believe Baker sacrificed this team Winning aspirations because he wanted to assure his future with the Bucs and his for sure to cone payday that I forsee will happen…This following comment will not he popular with the fanbase. If I’m the Bycs right now and Im trying to win a Super Bowl “this season” I’d be contacting Aaron Rodgers and asking him about his mindset on winning a SB as a Buccaneer in the 2026 season. If Aaron says yes, then Baker can go and put his his next team through losses for playing through “too serious injuries” and losing games. Hey Aaron Rodgers would you want to where pewter while accepting the next Super Bowl Trophy!!? Go Bucs!!!!
April 29th, 2026 at 11:34 pm
Aaron Rodgers wearing Pewter in 2026, hmmm at least he would not sacrifice his team’s season by playing through too serious injuries for a payday like Baker did right??? Rodgers wearing pewter this season abd the Bucs hoisting the Lombardi Trophy sounds awesome too me!! Go Bucs!
April 29th, 2026 at 11:39 pm
Every time i type Baker sacrificing his team’s season last year for a payday this offseason i keep getting blocked..interesting Aaron Rodgers is available!?
April 29th, 2026 at 11:40 pm
Baker played through too many injuries last season and it was absolutely detrimental to the Bucs playoff hopes. Aaron Rodgers is available right now??
April 29th, 2026 at 11:48 pm
I typed in so many posts prior to this in great detail regarding Baker playing though too many serious injuries last season and it ended up costing the Bucs a playoff entrance. And I kept getting blocked by this website. Now Im not not…hmmm objective authors of site huh…coincidentally Baker is probably going to get paid this offseason after sacrificing our teams playoff aspirations due to him playing through “serious injuries” but I’m sure Ira and the joe will not ever cover that point in there busy posting. By the way Aaron Rodgers os available gents. And I don’t care if it’s Aaron or John Smith I would like the Bucs to be the ones hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February of 2027
April 30th, 2026 at 12:20 am
I could almost buy that 6 of the 7 were in the top 100 – although I also doubt that – but Licht is pushing things beyond believability claiming the LSU TE was in his top 100.