Back to the Miami Hurricanes Newsfeed

Mario Cristobal explains why Rueben Bain Jr. could be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft

Related Topics: Mario Cristobal, Akheem Mesidor

Miami's defensive line has been dominant this season, and it all starts with Rueben Bain Jr. If he keeps playing this way, so could the 2026 NFL Draft.

Bethune-Cookman v Miami | Leonardo Fernandez/GettyImages

Carson Beck’s career resurgence stole the headlines at Miami for the first few weeks of the season, but Mario Cristobal’s best player this season, and maybe the best player in the entire country, has been on the defensive side of the ball.

Rueben Bain Jr. leads the Canes with four tackles for loss, and is second to his running mate, Akheem Mesidor, with 2.