The Washington Commanders lost starting defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. two weeks into the 2025 season. His primary backup, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, was gone two weeks later. Then, by the middle of October, the Commanders’ best edge threat, Dorance Armstrong Jr., saw his breakout campaign end.
Washington had a suspect defensive front to begin with. Those injuries were simply too much for them to overcome.
In the second half of the season, Dan Quinn's defense featured a couple of players in their mid-30s — Von Miller and Preston Smith — as well as an undersized hybrid linebacker — Jacob Martin — taking most of the snaps at defensive end. There just wasn’t enough firepower.
Apart from Armstrong, the position is completely up in the air for 2026. Maybe they’ll re-sign Martin or try their luck with the injury-prone Drake Jackson. Even if they do retain some of this year’s players, Adam Peters will almost certainly use both the draft and free agency to bolster Washington’s edge presence.
Picking at No. 7 overall, Peters may have a chance to select one of the highest ceiling players in the entire 2026 NFL Draft — Miami’s dynamic edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.
Miami DE Rueben Bain Jr 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Weight: 275 pounds
- Expected 40 Yard Dash Time: 4.72
- Recruiting: 4-star recruit, No. 9 ranked defensive tackle nationally
- College Production: 37 games, 113 combined tackles, 31 tackles-for-loss, 19.5 sacks, 2025 All-American.
Positives:
- Explosive first step keeps opposing tackles constantly on their heels.
- Once he gets a step ahead, has the rare ability to bend the edge without losing any speed.
- He is so good at bending the edge in pass rushes that it is easy to overlook a full arsenal of moves, including swims, bull rushes, and spins.
- Very aggressive in run support with the size to set the edge and the speed chase from the back side.
- In college, often looked like a man playing against boys.
No one in college football got to the quarterback as quickly as Bain in 2025. He turns the corner so fast that it looked at times as if opposing offensive tackles never even touched him as he blew past them.
It doesn’t matter whether he is lined up on the right or left, playing as a stand-up linebacker, or in a three-point stance covering the five gap; Bain made plays from everywhere. In college, he could even shift inside, using his strength and burst to blow up plays in the backfield.
He is strong enough to shed double teams and make plays against the run and is also fast enough to terrorize heavy-footed tackles in pass protection. A complete defensive end.
Negatives:
- Tweener size offers versatility but may also set limitations in the NFL.
- Lacks prototypical arm length for a defensive end.
- A lower leg injury cost him almost half of his 2024 season.
- Can be overly aggressive in pursuing ball carriers and run himself out of plays.
Some teams may be concerned about the calf injury that affected Bain’s sophomore season. However, the bigger concern is where he will play given his tweener size.
Most NFL pass rushers are several inches taller and have longer arms. Bain’s outstanding athleticism should allow him to overcome those physical limitations, but will he be the dominant pass rusher he was in college?
His exceptional strength would allow him to shift inside to defensive tackle if he could add 10-15 more pounds to his frame.
Rueben Bain NFL Player Comparison: Tuli Tuipulotu
Tuli Tuipulotu has shown this year that ideal size isn’t nearly as important as the ability to make plays.
Both Bain and Tuipulotu can make plays against the run or the pass. They can attack the backfield, work laterally down the line of scrimmage, or drop into coverage.
Bain is also reminiscent of Tuipulotu’s veteran teammate, Khalil Mack, with his elite burst and variety of pass-rushing moves. With these comparisons, it may seem that Bain would fit best into a 3-4 defensive front, but any creative coordinator will find ways to move him around to let his versatility develop.
The really intriguing thing about Bain is the possibility of adding some bulk and moving to defensive tackle.
It would not require a major weight gain. His base is so powerful that he could operate in the trenches with an additional 10 or so pounds. It seems like a stretch at this stage to compare to an all-timer like Aaron Donald, but there are definite similarities.
Donald was bigger and certainly more powerful, but Bain has that same tenacity, explosiveness, and low center of gravity that make him almost impossible to block at times. And he is still growing.
Rueben Bain NFL Draft Grade: Top Five Selection
There are several other impressive edge rushers who should go in the first round this spring, but unless teams become worried about that leg injury in 2024, Bain should be the first one off the board.
He will be an impact player from day one. His tricky size may ultimately keep him from being elite, but he is worth the risk. Bain has the highest ceiling of any front-seven player in the 2026 draft.