The entire Bucs organization was pissed off after a 6-2 start in 2025 turned into an 8-9 finish that brought an end to a five-year playoff streak and a four-year stay atop the NFC South. General manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles have made it clear this offseason that they want to get nastier, tougher and stronger as a team heading into 2026, and that’s a big reason why 2026 first-round draft pick Rueben Bain Jr. fits right in.

Tampa Bay had a clear approach in free agency, and it was to create more of an edge with the makeup of its roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball. You saw that with the additions of defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, outside linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad and inside linebacker Alex Anzalone.

And after taking steps toward accomplishing that attitude shift in free agency, the Bucs managed to stay right on course with the direction they’re going in by lucking out and landing Bain with their first pick in the 2026 Draft.

“We couldn’t be happier because of the mindset we’re trying to change this year with the type of players we signed in free agency and the type of play that he does and the attitude he plays with and the force he plays with,” Bowles said Friday afternoon. “It was really a no-brainer. He fit everything we’re trying to do and get back to from a mental [and] physicality standpoint. His play shows that and it was an easy decision.”

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

For one thing, Bain is all about football. He’s a relentless worker, and that translates into him being a gifted pass rusher. Not to mention, his approach and mentality feeds into his ability to play with a nasty mean streak. That will serve the Bucs well in 2026 and beyond.

“I think I always had that kind of mindset,” Bain said. “Just what was put in front of me allowed me to be the player I am today, [it] allowed me kind of play with that head-on-fire mentality and just run around knowing that you never know what play could be your last. I’m gonna always play like that. I come into the game with the mindset that I don’t take anything for granted, so when I step on the field, I’m trying to give my all each and every time.”

The motor Bain plays with doesn’t just make him a schematic fit for Bowles’ defense. It also makes him an attitude and culture fit right away.

After Helping “The U” Bounce Back, Rueben Bain Jr. Could Be Key For The Bucs’ Own Rebound

Prior to 2025, it had been quite some time since “The U” had been in the national spotlight, at least the way it used to be. Miami won 10 games in 2017, but then followed that up with a 7-6 season and a 6-7 season. Then, after an 8-3 2020 season, the Hurricanes went 7-5, 5-7 and and 7-6 in the next three years.

That 7-6 campaign was Rueben Bain Jr.’s freshman season in Coral Gables. He was a Freshman All-American that year, and he quickly became part of the group that helped “The U” bounce back under head coach Mario Cristobal.

Miami went 10-3 in 2024, then 13-3 with a deep run to the College Football Playoff national championship game in 2025. And while the Hurricanes fell short of the ultimate goal and lost to Indiana in the national title game, they finally returned to relevancy in a meaningful way.

Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: Jared Lennon – The University of Miami

Bain, who totaled 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss for the 13-win Hurricanes in 2025 on his way to consensus All-American honors, was a key figure in the turnaround for Miami over the last couple of years.

“It meant a lot,” Bain said Friday in his introductory press conference in Tampa. “Especially for, I know all the guys that were there during those 5-7, 7-6 seasons, it meant even more to us. Because we were there when it was ugly. We didn’t just hop on the bandwagon when it was pretty.

“So, to actually build something from the ground up, I feel like it means a little bit more. Coach Cristobal, he always says… He never wanted to say the U is back, but the U is here. That’s the mindset I have. We just do what we do, play football how we play and we’re going to reap the rewards of our success.”

Bain now comes to Tampa Bay as the team’s No. 15 overall pick and will look to help the Bucs rebound from a playoff-less season in 2025. The last time they missed out on the playoffs, they sunk into a decade of darkness from 2008-2019. It’s crucial for this Buccaneer team to avoid a repeat of that and instead make it only a one-year hiatus. Bain will figure heavily into the team’s plans as it works its way back to competing at a higher level in 2026.

Ultimately, the goal is more than just returning to the top of the NFC South. The Bucs want to make a deeper run in the playoffs and get back to the Super Bowl for a shot at their third Lombardi Trophy. And while he will only be 22 when his rookie season kicks off, Bain will add some juice to the defense and with time, could become one of the unit’s young leaders.

Bain is a quieter, more laid-back type of personality off the field, but he grew into a leadership role as Miami turned around in recent years. He could do the same in Tampa Bay as the team looks to get back on track and move in the right direction.

“It was challenging at first,” Bain said. “Me, I’m more of a quieter guy, so understanding that it’s more than being a by-example kind of leader, I have to be vocal at times. I’m still a little hesitant with what I say because I feel like the more selective you are with your words, the more weight it holds. So, I kind of choose when it’s the right time. But at all times, I’m going to be a leader, whether that’s being by example or vocal.”