Who is Rueben Bain Jr.? What to know of Miami star DL ahead of Cotton Bowl

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Rueben Bain Jr. has been a problem for offensive lines during his collegiate career.

The Miami football defensive lineman has racked up 18.5 sacks over the last three seasons, something Hurricanes fans are hoping for more of when No. 10 Miami (11-2) takes on No. 2 Ohio State (12-1) in the College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl quarterfinal on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

REQUIRED READING: Cotton Bowl predictions for Ohio State vs. Miami CFP showdown

The duo of Bain and Akheem Mesidor produced 19 pressures in the first round of the CFP against Texas A&M. The duo will need to be in the backfield harassing Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin for the Hurricanes to have a chance of knocking off the defending champions.

Here's everything to know about Miami's top defensive player ahead of its CFP matchup against the Buckeyes:

Who is Rueben Bain Jr.?

Bain has been a major cog in the Miami defense that has helped it reach the CFP quarterfinal. The junior earned a starting role with the Hurricanes early on in his career and has been a dependable player on the field since.

As a freshman, Bain earned a starting job by his third game and never looked back. He finished with 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks as a freshman. He has matched the sack total as a junior this season, and just one tackle for loss away from tying his career-best number.

Bain recorded his first career interception and returned it for 12 yards in the season-opening 27-24 win for the Hurricanes over Notre Dame. That win played a large role in getting Miami a CFP spot over the Fighting Irish.

He saved his best performance of the season for the CFP first-round, picking up three sacks in the 10-3 win over Texas A&M.

During his high school career, Bain led Miami Central to four state titles, totaling 77 sacks during his high school career.

Rueben Bain Jr. age

Bain was born on Sept. 8, 2004. That means he was 21 years old this season. He will be still be 21 when he likely enters the 2026 NFL Draft in April, but will likely be 22 by the time the 2026 NFL season commences.

He played high school football at Miami Central High in Miami.

Rueben Bain Jr. recruiting ranking

Bain committed to the hometown Hurricanes over offers from major programs like Florida State, Alabama and Auburn.

Here's a look at Bain's recruiting ranking out of high school in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports' Composite ratings

Stars: 4
National rating: No. 62
Position ranking: No. 11 edge
State ranking: No. 15 in Florida

Rueben Bain Jr. NFL mock draft

Bain is expected to be picked in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft in April. The defensive lineman is projected to go anywhere between No. 5 and No. 13 in recent mock drafts:

Rueben Bain Jr. stats

Here's a look at Bain's stats in his three collegiate seasons with the Hurricanes:

2023: 44 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one pass breakup and one pass deflection
2024: 23 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks
2025: 42 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, one pass breakup and one pass deflection

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Who is Rueben Bain Jr.? What to know of Miami star DL ahead of Cotton Bowl

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