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When he was drafted with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it was quite clear Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge rusher Rueben Bain was not happy.
It's not that Bain wasn't happy to be with the Bucs, but rather the fact that he slid in the draft, as many experts had him pegged as a top-10 pick.
As a result, Bain was not playing any games and gave an intense interview after he was drafted, which showed the rookie most definitely has a chip on his shoulder.
And that intensity was on full display in his first practice of rookie minicamp on Friday, when Bain stole the show.
“He looked like he was in midseason form,” head coach Todd Bowles said, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
Stroud went on to note that Bain immediately stood out during practice and he "didn't perform like a rookie" and was operating at full speed on every rep.
Bain led the Bucs outside linebackers through a series of drills on the blocking sled. His ability to bend low to the ground was on display during the hoop drill. He was so explosive getting off the snap that he routinely beat blockers around the edge for would-be sacks.
To put it mildly, Bain didn’t perform like a rookie. It became clear during the 90-minute practice that he wasn’t taking a single rep at anything less than full speed.
“No, he’s not (practicing like a rookie), and he brings a certain attitude to your defense, obviously,” Bowles said of Bain.
When it comes to his early goals at rookie minicamp, Bain said earning the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates is important, as is trying to prove the Bucs right.
“Establishing (trust with) my coaches,” he said. “Trusting my teammates. Showing why they picked me. Being the player they had expectations for when they took me in the draft.”
It's still very early in the process for sure, but we can't help but be impressed with what Bain has shown thus far. If he can keep it up, the rookie might be a big contributor for Tampa Bay sooner rather than later.
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