Todd Bowles didn’t waste any time zeroing in on what has him so high on Rueben Bain Jr.
For the Buccaneers coach, it isn’t just the rookie edge rusher’s talent or the buzz that followed him into Tampa Bay. It’s the way Bain processes the game. Bowles has been talking all offseason about the football IQ the No. 15 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has already shown in practice.
“For me, it is his intelligence, his understanding of the game,” coach Todd Bowles said.
That kind of praise carries weight, especially with a player whose draft stock was shaped in part by concern over his arm length. Bain’s arms are shorter than what teams usually want from an edge rusher, and that created questions about how he’d handle NFL tackles with longer reach. So far, though, Bain has answered those doubts by playing with the kind of awareness that helps him work around the limitation instead of getting trapped by it.
Bowles made it clear that Bain’s game already looks more advanced than a typical rookie’s.
“There are some things that you cannot teach, and he does not learn like a normal rookie, and he does some things that a three- or four-year guy can do.”
That maturity showed up in the numbers at Miami, too. Bain led the country with 83 quarterback pressures last season, according to PFF, a production that backed up the reputation he brought into the league. He paired a relentless motor with enough pass-rush variety to give ACC linemen problems all year.
The early flashes have continued in Tampa Bay. Jenna Laine of ESPN noted that during the first team period of the first day of mandatory minicamp, Bain batted down an outside-the-pocket throw from Baker Mayfield. Laine also reported that Bowles and even Trevor Lawrence were pleased with how much Bain has already grown.
For the Buccaneers, the timing matters. Tampa Bay hasn’t had a player reach double-digit sacks since 2021, and the pass rush has been a sore spot for Bowles’ defense for years. Bain’s quick adjustment gives the team something it has badly needed: a rookie who looks ready to help right away.
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Josiah Trotter, the son of former Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, is drawing plenty of attention for what he might become in the NFL. Former Buccaneers guard Ian Beckles has already put a heavyweight comp on him, and it is the kind of praise that instantly raises the stakes for a young defender trying to carve out his place in Tampa Bay. [Read more 🡒]