When the Los Angeles Rams opted to draft Ty Simpson, after months of speculation that the team would select receiver Makai Lemon, few questioned if the right choice would be Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain instead. However, with a strong training camp and high praise from former Bucs head coach Jon Gruden, Bain could have a much higher ceiling on defense than originally believed.
“If you like James Harrison, you’ll like this guy,” Gruden said of Bain. Harrison, a former Defensive Player of the Year for the Pittsburgh Steelers, would be quite an amazing player to have on the Rams’ defense right now.
With some people saying that the Rams could have one of the best defenses of all-time after acquiring Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson in the offseason, and a potential return by Aaron Donald, imagine if L.A. general manager Les Snead had also stockpiled Bain in the draft.
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It sure would have softened the blow of losing Jared Verse in the trade for Garrett.
Bain, who is getting praised in camp on a daily basis, had 9.5 sacks for a Miami team that reached the national championship game last year. He was once considered to be the best non-quarterback in the class, but fell for having “short arms”, among other things. However, the player who has 20.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for a loss in three college seasons might also be the frontrunner for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler commented on Wednesday that Bain has been “everything and more” at Bucs camp.
Marcus Stroud commented on the Pat McAfee Show that Bain is making starting tackle Luke Geodeke look like a “revolving door” in camp.
Gruden called criticisms of Bain in the draft: “Arm length and stupidity”.
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As in, you’re stupid if you think arm length matters.
When the Rams chose Simpson, that’s when Sean McVay (a Gruden disciple) said that if there had been any prospects who could help the team this year, then L.A. would have drafted him. Since he and Snead didn’t feel that was the case, they took a backup (third-string right now) quarterback.
The move could pay dividends in the future.
However, Rueben Bain, who went two picks after Simpson, could pay out right now. The Rams may have the number one defense without him. And they better.
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