The Miami Hurricanes defense was a dominant force during the 2025 season, and a big reason for that was edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.
After a season that nearly helped Miami capture its sixth national championship, Bain leaves college football as a former All-American with 20.5 career sacks. He is now set to become one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
At least, that’s what Bain is still hoping for.
On April 12, news resurfaced regarding a car accident that occurred on March 17, 2024, involving Bain.
It was The Read Optional’s Ollie Connolly who reported the story, citing details from a police report that stated Bain’s vehicle struck another car on I-95 in Miami. The tragic result was that a passenger in the other vehicle, Destiny Betts, was placed into a coma and later died less than a month later.
Despite the renewed attention surrounding the case, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes it will ultimately be a non-factor when it comes to Bain’s draft stock.
Insider Says NFL Teams Already Knew About Rueben Bain Jr. Case
First, Breer — along with others across the league media landscape — pointed out that this was something NFL teams were already aware of well before it resurfaced publicly.
“Teams have been aware of this case for a long, long time, and there was a lawsuit associated with the case that was settled in Miami,” Breer stated.
Breer also made it clear why the story is suddenly becoming such a major talking point now.
“But the reason this has come out is because Bain’s a football player, and this could materially affect where he plays football in 2026 and beyond,” Breer added.
With the timing of everything — just over two weeks before the opening round of the draft — that explanation makes plenty of sense.
Now, some are comparing the situation to Laremy Tunsil in 2016, when the former Ole Miss star was once projected to go No. 1 overall before sliding to No. 13.
“It feels like it could be [Laremy Tunsil] all over again,” a league source told The Read Optional. “It doesn’t feel like [Bain] has been transparent with us.”
That comparison is dramatic, but it also shows how quickly pre-draft narratives can take on a life of their own.
Other Reports Push Back On Rueben Bain Jr. Draft Concerns
Other reporting, however, paints a much different picture than the one suggesting Bain has not been transparent.
“Teams I’ve spoken with the past two months—outside of one—have been satisfied with Bain’s explanation. Most have considered the matter handled,” CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones said.
Breer added more context as well.
“However, teams have known about this for some time and have vetted it—and Bain—since the fall, given that he’s a top prospect. The GM of one team picking in the top 10 told me Bain didn’t seem willing to discuss the incident when questioned on it. An exec with another team in the top 10 said Bain was open ‘to the extent he could be’ about the situation.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think this is going to change where Bain gets picked in the draft. This isn’t exactly a curveball for the people involved.”
Considering the matter became a legal case that was settled, Bain may not be able to publicly discuss many details surrounding the incident even if he wanted to.
All of that has led to pushback against Connolly’s report, particularly from Miami supporters.
“Absolutely disgusting behavior by a so-called journalist,” @HurricaneBen posted.
He argued that key details were omitted, including that Bain’s vehicle was reportedly traveling below the speed limit (55 in a 60) and that there was no suspicion of drugs or alcohol.
Another user, @jamrock1986, accused Connolly of writing a hit piece, posting a photo of the reporter wearing Ohio State gear.
Whether fair or not, the reaction shows just how charged the conversation has become. But if Breer and others are right, the outrage may end up having little impact on where Bain hears his name called on draft night.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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