Nation’s Best Pass rusher: Miami Commitment Rueben Bain?
Miami Hurricanes commitment Rueben Bain should be considered the nation’s best prep pass rusher?
Make no mistake, that’s the premise of this article. At the end of it, readers can go on their own and view the film and conclude for themselves if they like.
Before going too far into this report, however, note that the following young man played his prep football in the Miami Public League. It’s unquestionably one of America’s best for top talent. Bain earned his sacks against quality competition while many other players had much easier nights to bring down opposing signal callers. Now, onto a few points about how Bain has been a menace to opposing quarterbacks.
RELATED: Travis Hunter in the Transfer Portal, Miami Recruiting Him
For any of us in the recruiting media, Bain has been great to follow. Videos of him on Twitter, seeing him in person, or just pulling up video highlights from the Internet have all helped to shape opinions about his pass rushing ability. There are three points to note above all others, however.
1) First-step quickness. Bain hit the gas and went by many offensive linemen before they knew what happened. He’s explosive to a point that it should have long since been considered a rarity for a player that’s roughly 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds. He’s moved more like a 5-foot-10 and 200-pound running back.
2) Hand use. During the past two seasons, Bain swatted away attempts to keep him at bay better than arguably any other defensive lineman in the country. Slap-rip, dip-and-rip, stab, two-arm bull rush, and on and on. Bain made it to opposing quarterbacks with a myriad of moves. His ensemble of tactics allowed him to keep the opposition guessing, too. That has been important for Bain’s success.
3) Hustle. Nothing more to it than that. Some of the best pass rushers of all time have used hustle to get those critical sacks. Players like Reggie White and Lawrence Taylor commonly chased down quarterbacks from the backside when others would have given up. They wanted that sack! Bain showed a similar interest with how he would run all the way across the line and get his man.
Here are a few clips that Bain himself posted on Twitter to provide perspective:
Now, we could go into further detail about watching Bain’s film. In fact, going back through his film today was a blast! Bain has earned the reputation he’s earned down in South Florida. As for nationally, think about the following point as to whether someone thinks he’s the best pure pass rusher in America.
Alabama’s Nick Saban went out of his way to try and recruit this young man. He was a focal point of the Crimson Tide’s recruiting efforts and they even brought in Bain for an early official visit.
Needless to say, Saban and Alabama have always played for keeps. So whether a person believes Bain to have earned the moniker as the nation’s best pass rusher or not, know that he’s at least at the very highest level among just a few others. That’s the conservative answer.
There is one other fact that’s come about. No matter how he’s ranked, Miami will be signing one heck of an edge defender on National Signing Day. Canes fans have reasons to smile about that.
AllHurricanes.com is your home for all things Miami Hurricanes football, recruiting, basketball and other athletics, all the time. Follow along on social media at @AllHurricanes on Twitter and All Hurricanes on Facebook for round-the-clock news and analysis.