Rueben “Hurricane” Bain Earns Top Three Ranking originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Miami Hurricanes’ defensive line is expected to be one of the team’s strengths in 2025. The unit features three former 247Sports composite five-star recruits in Justin Scott, Marquise Lightfoot, and Armondo Blount, each of whom is entering their second season and expected to contribute to the defensive line rotation.
Miami’s promising young talent, combined with experienced veteran linemen in Ahkeem Mesidor, David Blay (fifth-year senior transfer), and Ahmad Moten Sr. returning, means this unit should thrive in Defensive Coordinator Corey Hetherman’s aggressive scheme. But for the Hurricanes’ defense to make amends for its performance last season, Rueben Bain Jr. must return to his 2023 form, when he earned multiple national honors.
But it is Bain, Miami’s best lineman when healthy, who has been tabbed by Pro Football Focus as the third-highest draft eligible edge rusher for the 2026 NFL draft.
Top 10 Edge Rushers in the 2026 NFL Draft♨️ pic.twitter.com/oNnWpSks93
— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 10, 2025
The only players whom PFF ranked ahead of Bain were Clemson’s T.J. Parker and Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas. Parker doubled his freshman season sack total, registering 11 sacks on 57 tackles while causing six fumbles. Thomas enjoyed a breakout junior season by tallying 23 tackles, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles.
Having lived up to the billing of his high four-star rating when he signed with the Hurricanes out of Miami Central High School, Bain enjoyed immediate success during his true freshman season. He was viewed as a powerful edge rusher with a great motor and superb technique, ending the year with 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks on 44 total tackles. He also forced 3 fumbles in 13 games played.
His production garnered national attention as he collected ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, All-ACC Third Team, and Freshman All-America honors. Bain set himself up for a dominant sophomore campaign, but he suffered a season-altering calf injury on the opening drive in Miami’s week one dismantling of the Florida Gators.
The setback caused Miami’s sophomore sensation to miss the next four games. However, Bain appeared in each of the Hurricanes’ eight remaining games, accounting for 23 tackles and 3.5 sacks in those games.
Corey Hetherman recalls getting a glimpse of Bain during warmups at the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl. “When he came on the field,” Hetherman said, “I was like ‘Who’s that?’”
Bain, an imposing physical presence who played last season at 275 pounds, has reportedly dropped 10 pounds during the offseason to be “a little more mobile, more flexible, have a faster twitch.”
Hetherman recognizes Bain’s importance to his defense. “He’s very talented, and you can see it,” Hetherman said. “He hit a move on Monday in practice that you can tell it’s just natural. He went, moved, didn’t win, countered back, and he’s right on the quarterback immediately. He just plays fast, and then just the reps that he’s had, the speed that he plays at, and then how physical he is at the point of attack – that’s a guy that’s going to set the tempo for the team.
Bain, who was difficult to contain in one-on-one situations, will thrive in Miami’s new defensive scheme, which leans on its four-man front to generate pressure and get upfield.
Miami’s defensive leader has a huge opportunity to prove his PFF ranking is accurate and that he has regained his freshman form right out of the gate when the Hurricanes host the national runner-up Notre Dame Fighting Irish at home on August 31.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.