While the Kansas City Chiefs have been linked to several players in mock drafts over the last couple of months, the one player that's popped up the most at that No. 9 overall slot in the first round has been Miami Hurricanes edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.
But despite being projected to go inside the top 10—the top 15 at the very least—Bain has had to listen to the concerns about his lack of length. It's true, of course, as his arms are short by NFL standards, measuring in at 30 7/8" at the combine. But that obviously hasn't stopped him from becoming one of the top defensive players in the country and compiling a long list of accolades, a list that includes ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the Ted Hendricks Award.
Bain has heard the concerns, but he himself isn't concerned with how he'll perform at the next level in the slightest. And following his impressive Pro Day performance this week, the 21-year-old took what some see as a negative and flipped it into a positive, as he likened himself to none other than former two-time world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
"Mike Tyson wasn’t the tallest. He wasn’t the longest," Bain told NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. "But when you felt him, you felt him. You kept your distance."
Just a dynamite comparison there, don't you think? Bain knows what he can bring to the table, and if he gets past the New Orleans Saints at No. 8, the Chiefs will have a big decision to make at No. 9.
Rueben Bain Jr. would undoubtedly improve the Chiefs' pass-rush attack
It's certainly no secret that the Chiefs struggled getting to the quarterback this past season, ranking in a tie for 21st in the NFL with just 35 sacks. So, the addition of Bain would certainly prove useful, as the Miami native racked up 20.5 sacks in his three years with the Hurricanes, 9.5 of which came this past year.
Again, there's the lack of length, but Bain plays an extremely violent type of football, and his chopping technique is incredible, which is one of the reasons he's been so successful getting to the quarterback.
But the All-American is more than just a pass rusher, as his 87.5 PFF run-defense grade ranked ninth among 853 qualifying edge rushers in the nation in 2025. Facing NFL offensive lineman is different, of course, but Bain has played plenty of pro-level talent, and he's ready to prove he's got what it takes to succeed at the next level, whether it be in Kansas City or anywhere else.
"I want to win wherever I go," Bain told Wolfe. "I feel like I got the kind of mentality and the skill set to do it and I would love to just earn those guys' trust and show it to them."