Rueben Bain Jr. was a threat on the field for the Miami Hurricanes. It’s not hard to find clips of him lining up defensively and clear offensive tackles in his own way.
It didn’t seem like his arm length was much of a problem as he put together an All-America season.
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But it’s NFL pre-Draft season, and everything is pinched.
Bain obtained official measurements at NFL Scouting Combinerand concern about the length of his arms further fueled the fuel. His arms measured 30 7/8 inches, according to several media outlets. That’s unusually short for an NFL edge player and virtually unheard of for a first-round pick. To put things in perspective, only two Edge Rushers since 1999 have measured with shorter arms at the combine than Bain, according to Mockdraftable data (go to Josh Norris at Underdog).
The New York Jets will be on the clock with the second pick in the draft after Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is likely first overall. They’ll have to make a tough decision between players like Bain and Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, and it all counts. Even the size of the arms.
Rueben Bain Jr. is expected to be selected early in the NFL Draft. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
(CFP via Getty Images)
Bath was asked about the discussion from his arm Wednesday and he said he wasn’t paying attention. He said the teams haven’t talked about it either.
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“People keep talking about it out of nowhere,” Bain said. “The teams haven’t talked to me about it, so I don’t talk about it either.
Teams may not talk to Bain about it, but it will be discussed in newsrooms. Teams have certain benchmarks for prospect metrics at all positions. Arm length is important for Edge Rushers because they can extend against offensive tackles and not get boxed in by blockers on their way to the quarterback.
This did not affect Bain. He plays a physical game and has become one of the best edge players in college football with this style. Everything gets tougher in the NFL, and teams (starting with the second-ranked Jets) will have to determine just how much of a disadvantage that might be for Bain in the pros.
Bain wasn’t the only edge defender whose arms were shorter than those on NFL teams. Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell, a potential first-round pick, measured with 30 1/4-inch arms, via Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network.
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Ultimately, a player’s performance on the field matters most in the draft. But when making important decisions at the top of the project, every data point is evaluated. Get ready for two months of discussion about Bain’s arm length.
