Countdown to Canes Football: No. 22 Rueben Bain, Jr.
The Countdown to Canes series continues today with a truly unique talent. This player comes in at No. 22 after three other Miami Hurricanes.
#25 - Cam McCormick
#24 - Javion Cohen
#23 - Jacolby George
For anyone that’s been around Rueben Bain, Jr., it’s hard not to like him. Easy going, polite, soft spoken. That’s Bain in a nutshell.
Quarterbacks and offensive linemen likely hold a different opinion, however. Let’s break down what he brings to the table for The U.
Reuben Bain, Jr.
Size
: 6-foot-2, 270 pounds
Class
: Freshman
Position
: Edge
High School
: Miami (Fla.) Central
Background and Recruitment
NFL Hall of Fame inductee Jason Taylor and the Hurricanes won out over Florida State, Auburn, Alabama, and numerous other programs. Bain made a late decision to select Miami after a highly contested recruiting process. He was ranked as the No. 63 player in the country by the 247 Sports composite, as well as the No. 11 edge.
There’s been a lot of hype around Bain’s arrival in Coral Gables. It’s been warranted. Why? He will not allow the publicity to cause himself to get lazy. Know that Bain’s desire to be great – despite being a truly laid back young man – will not disarm him from wanting to get better and better.
Initial Impact
During the early portion of the 2023 season, expect Bain to be a part of the rotation during third downs and any obvious passing situation. That would be despite the Canes certainly possessing other talented edge defenders like Akheem Mesidor, Jahfari Harvey, Cyrus Moss, Nyjalik Kelly, and even fellow freshman Jayden Wayne.
Depth has been and continues to be a path to pass rushing success, however. That’s where Bain joins the party to at least be a rotational player during September and into October.
It’s also a matter of time before someone gets banged up. That’s college football. Having Bain in that rotation, especially during the first handful of games, will bolster Miami’s pass rush overall. From there, Bain will continue to improve.
That’s vital considering the back half of Miami’s schedule will see several teams with talented quarterbacks.
Taking the Next Step
For Bain to challenge for starting minutes, he’s going to have to learn the opposition’s tendencies and understand Miami’s schemes quite well. As noted above, however, he’s that dude. Bain will grind and earn his way.
Whether or not he ends up starting at any one given point and time during the 2023 season would be a calculus equation that includes figuring out which players get hurt or not, and which other Miami edge defenders complement one another in the lineup. That’s nearly impossible to project at this juncture.
In short, time will tell the tale. Do note that Bain’s abilities, combined with desire to be great, make him a candidate to push the older players and make the unit better overall. That’s huge for the Canes.
2023 Projection
Bain will end up with five or more sacks for defensive coordinator Lance Guidry and the Hurricanes. More specifically, he will be a consistent performer when needed to pressure opposing quarterbacks.
Whether or not he’s proven that he can handle 300-pound offensive tackles during running plays, that’s a key component that could determine if he can make a serious move towards being a starter.
That’s hard for a true freshman as college strength far surpasses what Bain went up against during his time playing for Central. Still, he’s not one’s typical college freshman.
By the end of the 2023 season, not only Miami fans, but college football fans, will know all about Bain. He’s a special talent – on and off the gridiron – and one that Miami fans will enjoy watching this next season.
2024 Recruiting Rankings: Florida's Top 25 Prospects
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