Rueben Bain Jr. knows people are talking about him. He knows the external praise that’s coming his way. He’s in the conversation for both the Heisman Trophy and potentially being a top pick in the NFL Draft. The Miami Hurricanes being 5-0, ranked No. 2 in the country and a legitimate contender for the College Football Playoff helps fuel that discussion as well.
But here’s the thing about the Hurricanes’ star edge rusher: He doesn’t care about anything people outside the team are saying.
“I just look back on it and kind of say ‘eff it’ to all of it,” Bain said Tuesday ahead of Miami’s Friday night game against the 4-1 Louisville Cardinals (7 p.m., ESPN). “I know what the bigger picture is for us to really win. If I continue to win, continue to play how I play, then that’s when all the awards and all the hoorah stuff comes in.”
Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) pressures Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) during their NCAA football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday, September 20, 2025. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
Bain’s play has warranted the discussion. Pro Football Focus has Bain as the highest-graded edge rusher through seven weeks of the season. His 29 quarterback pressures rank third among Power 4 defenders, behind only the Texas Tech duo of David Bailey (44) and Romello Height (31), both of whom have played one more game than Bain. He has won 28.6 percent of his pass rush snaps, the best rate among 116 Power 4 edge rushers with at least 100 pass rush snaps this season.
He also has an interception and a forced fumble.
But wait. There’s that praise again. Bain can’t focus on that. He isn’t focused on that.
“I always feel like there’s room for improvement,” Bain said.
Specifically, Bain is prioritizing his conditioning and finishing plays. While he has been solid at disrupting the quarterback so far this season and living in the opponent’s backfield, he only has two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss through five games.
“I’m getting to plays a lot the first half of the play,” Bain said, “but to actually finish on the play, I’m not doing what I’m supposed to do.”
Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) celebrates with teammates after intercepting the ball in the fourth quarter during an NCAA football game Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Sunday, August 31, 2025. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
Bain’s tough on himself because he has to be. He knows just how talented he is. He showed that as a true freshman when he was named the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Freshman All-American after logging 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He came into this season with a chip on his shoulder after an injury-riddled sophomore season that saw a dip in production (just 23 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks while missing four games).
First-year Hurricanes defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman said Bain to this point is playing as good, if not better, as any defensive player he has been around in his coaching career.
And it’s because he can do just about everything at a high level. Hetherman specifically pointed out “how physical he’s been at the line of scrimmage, his technique, his pad level, his ability to read the run and pass and get off the football.”
“He’s a guy you never have to get on,” Hetherman said. “The way he practices on a Monday or Tuesday is exactly what you’re going to get on [game day]. He’s constantly improving. That’s why he’s playing at such a high level.”
There’s also some internal competition that’s helping fuel his fire.
Bain and fellow edge rusher Akheem Mesidor are constantly trying to one-up each other on the field. There’s natural banter between the two and it has elevated both of their games. While Bain has graded out higher, Mesidor is also among the top edge rushers in college football, and the 1-2 punch on Miami’s defensive line has been critical to their success.
“It’s very important and it brings out a lot. We’re trash-talking each other all the time, just telling each other it’s a race to the quarterback. I don’t think he beat me yet,” Bain said with a smile.
Mesidor added: “It’s just calling each other trash. Rueben always tells me I can’t bend the corner like him. I tell him I bet I can — and I show him I can. Just friendly trash talk. ... We just keep each other humble.”
And that’s putting Bain on a trajectory that is rarely seen in college football with him being in the Heisman mix.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter won the award last year as a two-way player, excelling at cornerback and wide receiver. The only pure defensive player to win the Heisman was Charles Woodson in 1997. The last time a defensive lineman was a finalist came in 2021, when Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson finished runner-up to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
But that’s a discussion Bain doesn’t want to focus on yet. It’s not the time or the place. The Hurricanes have Louisville on Friday. That’s where all his attention is right now.
“I’m just trying to play football,” Bain said, “and help my team win.”