So, About Rueben Bain’s Short Arms
May 1st, 2026
Overcoming short arms.
A lot has been made about Rueben Bain’s alleged short arms. If not for that, it’s unlikely Bain would still have been on the board at No. 15 when the Bucs found him under their Christmas tree.
Appearing on “Schein on Sports” yesterday, hosted by popular sports radio and television personality Adam Schein, heard exclusively on SiriusXM’s “Mad Dog Radio” channel, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht explained to Schein that just because a guy has short arms doesn’t mean he can’t play in the NFL.
“You know, I’d be lying if I said we didn’t talk about it,” Licht said of Bain’s alleged bad arm measurement. “We never saw [short arms] affect his play.”
Licht also told Schein the Bucs have two players in the trenches who have excelled despite short arms.
“We have a couple of players on our team that have done some really good things for us that also fell into that category [of short arms],” Licht said.
“Luke Goedeke, people said he would never be able to play tackle because he has short arms. He’s been doing a helluva job for us at right tackle.
“We had Calijah Kancey who had short arms as a defensive lineman and defensive tackle. And he’s a really good pass rusher inside despite that.”
Licht added that it takes a lot more to be a good lineman than having long arms.
“I think when you know how to use your hands, when you have fast, violent hands, I think you can overcome it,” Licht said.
Like you, Joe’s about had it with the short-arm talk. Joe will wrap up this post, stealing a line from a commenter earlier this week (sorry, Joe doesn’t remember his handle).
Chris Braswell has long arms.
May 1st, 2026 at 7:11 am
Bain has a really strong base. Watch any clip he runs the loop out of a wide 9, OTs try to basically him off path at the peak of the loop and he just keeps going toward the QB. Pair that with strong hands and you can see why Bain had the success he had at The U in spite of not having prototypically long arms.
“Short” arms also didn’t stop him from blocking an FG against Texas A&M or racking up 3 sacks in the same game.
May 1st, 2026 at 7:20 am
OK, I think I’m ready for some more Evans chatter over this man’s arm length
May 1st, 2026 at 7:26 am
Hope it does not hurt is pass coverage in the D backfield.
May 1st, 2026 at 7:43 am
I’m just glad we’re back to drafting football players and not physical specimens. The Bucs and the league in general are too focused on measurables. Now work on the culture!
May 1st, 2026 at 8:03 am
If he was a Gator man we could have a field day. Good Duck
May 1st, 2026 at 8:07 am
want some more Evans news:
The 49ers moved out of the first round, and with their first draft pick chose receiver De’Zhaun Stribling out of Ole Miss.
Analyst Matt Miller wrote:
“Despite adding Mike Evans and having former first-rounder Ricky Pearsall on the roster, the 49ers lack a deep threat”
Good move since Mile is kind of on his last legs.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:09 am
I really don’t get this short arm obsession. I’d rather see a discussion about drafting a player with high drop rates and a history of not being a blocker. To me those traits look like someone that avoids contact. How about a discussion around our running backs blocking ability. Or a conversation about how Ko Kieft knocking the hell out of the other team instead of how few receptions he has.Great football players and teams block well, hit hard, and wear the other team down. Bain looks like he hits hard and wears the other guys down.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:11 am
Bain has huge legs.
He has a great foundation and low center of gravity.
He also has something you can’t measure.
FIRE.
His favorite player is Ray Lewis.
I still can’t believe he dropped to us.
We are insanely lucky like with Wirfs and Vea.
He is exactly the type of killer we need on defense.
He is an elite OLB for Bowles defense.
He will set the edge. Teams will not run to his side.
He can penetrate. He can rush like a DE.
I cant believe we got him.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:22 am
B-Rexes were ferocious predators. They had short arms because they didn’t need them.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:25 am
Cashius Howell arms are shorter than Reuben Bain arms
No one was making a fuss over his arms length
It’s not that important, it’s irrelevant
May 1st, 2026 at 8:28 am
The only area his short arms are a problem, apparrently, is driving a car.
Please Jason, get this man a driver and all will be fine.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:34 am
Cashius Howell
11.5 sacks
14.0 TFL
6 PD
His so-call short arms didn’t affect his play
No one cares about a player arm length
His drive, determination, effort etc
Those are the important traits
May 1st, 2026 at 8:39 am
No edge has had 10 sacks with Bains arm length in over 20 years, that’s why analysts harp on the short arms, just facts whether we are sick of hearing about it or not, barring injury, Bain will change that
May 1st, 2026 at 8:47 am
JBF is OVERDOSING on Bain…………..let him prove it on the field……and, I defer to the question JBF always asks: When was the last time Todd Bowles DEVELOPED and edge rusher?????? Go ahead, I’ll wait for the answer.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:52 am
To be brutally honest as my namesake says, I can’t be much happier about what the Bucs have done this off-season. Bringing in the guy from Detroit with 11 1/2 sacks getting this Bain fallen out of heaven to them who cares about the short arms thing, and the guy from last year he never got a chance to play, but it’s all we heard about. You can’t help but think their Putrid Pass D is going to be better this year no matter how many of them have to drop back in coverage. And the DB from Miami appears to be a stud that’s gonna step right into the mix. Gotta feel optimistic about this defense, being better even if Bowles still calling the shots.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:54 am
I pray one day (sooner vs later) the arms conversation fades away as a historical quirky footnote that is becomes lost in time. Like Paul Zimmerman questioning Dan Marino’s arm strength before he was drafted in 1983.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:54 am
And yes, Anzalone and the other LB from the Panthers can only help
May 1st, 2026 at 8:56 am
As WBL and Teacherman pointed out, Bain has a strong base and huge legs. His body is very thick from neck down. He looks powerful and his play reflects that.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:57 am
Watch reps of Bain or any player rushing the passer or trying to block a pass rusher. Arms are bent before contact. Not saying arm length can’t be a factor but it is very small when talking about the overall effect on a pass rusher. If a pass rusher is doing any kind of bullrush, arm length will not have any effect on the rush. Arms are bent and used to cushion the blow as the players hit pad to pad. I watched Bain, OTs rarely got their hands on him first and when they did he got his hands on them right after. I paid particular attention to this when I was watching video of the 6’11 OT UDFA prospect we signed, Rubelt. His arms are 36″… he didn’t give up any sacks in the games but he too didn’t have much of an advantage despite vines for arms. The dude won every battle when he had his shoulders square with his opponent’s and didn’t do as well when the rusher wasn’t.
May 1st, 2026 at 8:58 am
I like our UDFA signing, just as much as l like our draft
I think we hit on quite a few of them
I see a lot of talent, and some promises
May 1st, 2026 at 9:17 am
“Chris Braswell has long arms.”
I missed that comment.
Absolutely brilliant!
May 1st, 2026 at 9:39 am
GM’s are obsessed by measurables in the NFL. What’s next genitals?
May 1st, 2026 at 9:42 am
Well the short arms thing will be a huge talking piece all upcoming season. Bain will either prove critics wrong if he does well or if not his arms will be to blame. I know this every year players who are drafted low, end up outplaying high draft picks. Look no further than Tom Brady and Brock Purdy, and the list goes on. It seems every year team experts miss both good and bad on many players. This year will be no exception. I hope Bain proves them all wrong. However, make no mistake next year another player will lose draft stock because his arm, legs, or something else does not fit the mold. I know Bain has plenty of ammo now to mentally to succeed. You can’t measure determination and heart. It appears Bain has both.
May 1st, 2026 at 9:44 am
Bain has some incredible bend I can’t wait and that attitude 100 percent what I want on that dline no glitz no glamor all business let’s go bain let’s go bucs.
May 1st, 2026 at 9:49 am
If you think about it, it’s mostly a law of averages for these guys.
Big D Lineman usually come with long arms, because they are BIG.
Just because he has short arms doesn’t mean he can’t bend.
It doesn’t mean he doesn’t have power and it doesn’t affect his angles he takes to the QB. Rip and Dip is his go-to and his compact frame actually helps him I think.
Regardless we got a guy who can stop the run while he is sleeping.
A guy who produced. For a National Championship caliber team.
May 1st, 2026 at 10:11 am
He competed at high levels at the highest levels. I don’t care if he wears his pants backwards
May 1st, 2026 at 10:19 am
I am so over this whole short arms debate.
Most of the better edge rushers are also taller than six to and probably arm length and height have some sort of correlation.
If his arms were 1 and 1/8 in longer they would have been 32 in which is right around the size of the most dominant pass rushers on average over the last 10 years. I can’t see how essentially the length from my middle to distal finger joint length he is going to be the difference between a pass rusher who can’t make it in the NFL and one who will thrive!