It is the first day of April, and the 2026 NFL Draft will begin in three weeks from tomorrow. Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs will finally know who the organization has deemed worthy of the top pick in the draft, whether it’s the ninth pick or sometime else on Day 1.
One of the most popular matches for the Chiefs is Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. He has been predicted to go to Kansas City through the many mock drafts of NFL media, he has grabbed the attention of plenty of draft fans, and now, a former All-Pro NFL defensive lineman sees Kansas City as the ideal destination for Bain.
Cullen was the defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, working with McCoy for two of his prime years. The all-time Buccaneer was already one of the elite defensive tackles in the NFL when Cullen joined the staff, but the coach clearly left a positive impression on McCoy.
In looking at those teams, it was notable to me that McCoy led the defense in sacks (8.5) both years under Cullen, emphasizing the lack of impact from the team’s defensive ends.
These were the top edge rushers in Tampa Bay over Cullen’s two years:
McCoy didn’t get to see Cullen work with a high-profile edge defender. Yet, he believes Bain will live up to high top-10-pick expectations if general manager Brett Veach selects him.
It’s worth noting that Cullen was requested to be interviewed by two teams for the defensive coordinator position this offseason. He is staying with the Chiefs for his fifth season, and a potential selection of Bain could make this the most important year for him yet in Kansas City.