When it comes to on-field production, Rueben Bain Jr.'s numbers speak for themselves.
The Miami edge rusher was one of the elite talents during last year's college football season, recording 54 total tackles, 15.5 TFL and 9.5 sacks, 5 of which were during the team's playoff run.
"I feel like I'm versatile, I've got a high motor," he shared with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday. "I can do it at any position at any time with the best effort. And it's on film, it's not something I'm just saying."
Bain's standout 2025 season has put him in top 10 draft selection conversations, with some analysts projecting him as high as the Jets' No. 2 overall pick. The Green & White will be looking to add defensive playmakers ahead of 2026, and Bain's ability to create pressure and be disruptive could fit the bill. While the 6-3, 270-pound player talked up his skill set on Wednesday, though, he was clear about what he truly wants teams to know about him.
"I eat, sleep and breathe football," he said. "That's all I do. I don't have any other hobbies, any other real interests outside of football. That's all I care for, that's all I want to do."
Bain also spoke about his high football IQ and relentless work ethic. He prides himself on spending endless time in the building preparing, as well as showing up each day with a desire to improve.
"No matter where I go, I don't really care for the number, I just know that whatever team ends up picking me will get the best out of me, the best player in the draft in my opinion," he said. "I'm going to come in with the mindset to work every day, prove myself in the locker room and just be the person that I am."
Despite Bain's high-level raw football talent and power, a shorter arm length has emerged as one of the things that analysts believe could potentially lower his draft stock. Bain, however, shared that teams have not brought it up as a concern in meetings, so he has not allowed it to deter him.
"As long as I can just talk the talk and walk the walk, play with technique, nobody has really asked me about it," he said.
After a 2025 college season that saw Bain earn ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors, the Ted Hendricks Award, consensus All-American honors and a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship game, Bain remains committed to making sure his grit and diligence are evident throughout the draft process -- no matter where it leads.
"My effort, I feel like you're going to always see that," he said. "My versatility, like I said before. I could do it anywhere at any given time."
