Rueben Bain Jr. Makes Mike Tyson Comparison While Downplaying Arm Length Concerns Ahead of NFL Draft

Miami star Rueben Bain Jr. doesn't believe his arm length will preclude him from beating opposing offensive linemen off the edge.

The consensus All-American drew a comparison to one of the most dominant boxers of his era.

"Like Mike Tyson … he wasn't the tallest guy. He wasn't the longest-limbed guy," Bain told NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. "But when you felt him, you felt him. You kept your distance."

Tyson stands at 5'10" and has a 71-inch reach, which are both on the lower end for a heavyweight. That didn't stop him from becoming a world champion and opening his pro career with 37 victories.

Bain's arms measured at 30 7/8" during the NFL Scouting Combine. That's historically short for an edge defender of his pedigree.

The Hurricanes pass-rusher could be an example of overthinking things with an obviously talented prospect. He had 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in 2025, and he was especially impactful during the College Football Playoff.

"Bain's tape says he's a top-five player in this year's draft class," Bleacher Report's most recent mock draft reads. "He was consistently disruptive as a run defender and pass-rusher. His 156 pressures since 2023 were the most in college football, according to Pro Football Focus."

Looking more critically, this might be like when people pointed out Bryce Young's height was a concerning factor heading into the 2023 draft. Based on Young's first three years with the Carolina Panthers, those worries might've been justified.

Bain isn't going to fall out of the first round entirely. The B/R scouting department projected him to go ninth overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.

His hopes of being the first edge defender off the board might be gone, though, thanks to the questions related to his arms.