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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers desperately needed more pass rush help for Todd Bowles' defense, and in the NFL Draft, one of the best pass rushers fell into their laps.
The Buccaneers took Rueben Bain Jr. with the No. 15 overall pick, as Bowles now gets his dominant pass rusher.
But as with all rookies, projecting what they will do in their first season is a total guess.
However, Sports Illustrated's Eva Geitheim has given it a shot.
In Bain's first season, the analyst has him notching seven sacks and a forced fumble, along with 50 total tackles.
"The Buccaneers got the edge rush help they desperately needed in Rueben Bain Jr., who surprisingly fell to No. 15 in the draft," Geitheim wrote. "Bain notched 9.5 sacks in his final season at Miami, and should help improve Tampa’s edge rush as he reaches the NFL."
More: Browns' Todd Monken offers superb perspective of QB battle
Bain Jr. set for big 2026?
Well, if the Buccaneers want to get to where they want to be in 2026, he might have to get the stats that Geitheim has projected.
Plus, the Buccaneers' offense is going to have to come to the party as well.
Expecting the world from a rookie isn't ideal, but when that rookie is Bain Jr., well, the expectations get a little higher than most.
The Buccaneers need him to be productive from Day 1 and be a force multiplier on defense, as that was something the unit sorely missed last season.
Can Bain be "the" guy for Bowles? He might have to be.
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