The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-round pick put together another dominant performance against the New York Jets during Wednesday's joint practice, recording three sacks and continuing what has been an outstanding training camp. Bain wasn't simply getting clean runs at the quarterback, either.
The rookie consistently found ways to win his reps against the Jets' offensive line, showing the combination of power, quickness and relentless effort that made him one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. Perhaps the most impressive part was how often Bain overcame contact: the rookie appeared to be held on multiple occasions but kept fighting through and still found the quarterback. Instead of allowing offensive linemen to slow
him down, Bain kept working and finished the play.
Since the pads came on, Bain has looked like a player who belongs among the best pass rushers in this year's draft class.
Tampa Bay selected him 15th overall with the expectation that he could make an immediate impact, and his performance against the Jets only reinforced why the Buccaneers were so high on him. Three sacks in a joint practice is impressive on its own. Bain's emergence could also ripple across Tampa Bay's defensive front. If opposing offenses have to dedicate more attention to the rookie, players like Yaya Diaby, David Walker, and Calijah Kancey could find more favorable matchups. Bain isn't simply looking like a promising young pass rusher, he's beginning to look like one of the best defensive linemen the 2026 draft class has to offer and Tampa Bay's next defensive star.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs' Rueben Bain Jr. is looking the part in joint practices
