Rueben Bain Jr. and Keionte Scott: Dynamic Duo at The U


                                                          Jerome Miron – Imagn Images

By Walter Mitchell

Mike Renner (of PFF fame) noted something pretty dang special about Rueben Bain Jr's extraordinary stamina and desire to play.:

Mike Renner
@mikerenner_
Underrated aspect of Rueben Bain's game is that he barely comes off the field. Played 90.4% of non-garbage time snaps for Miami last year His 897 snaps were the most for a DE in the FBS last year and 2nd-most this decade
162.4K
Views

The Hurricanes were clinging to a 7-0 lead over Ohio St. right before halftime of the Cotton Bowl. Per an eyewitness:


Codiki
@codiki
I saw this in person at the Cotton Bowl. Coaches wanted him to rest the series near the end of the half. He was arguing to go in with them. As soon as OSU crossed the 50 he tapped Messidor on the shoulder pads they looked at the coaches just ran in the game. You can’t see that on all 22 but when that happened he was my #Bengals target from then on, they need a DAWG. He’s a gamer.

Click here to see what happened:

https://x.com/i/status/2042269712898224446

RDE Rueben Bain (#4) gets pressure on QB Juliain Sayin, then SCB Keionte Scott (#0) jumps Sayin's flat pass and takes the ball 72 yards for the pick 6 to put The U up 14-0 at halftime.

Game Grades in the Hurricanes' upset win over the Buckeyes:

Rueben Bain, Jr. --- 85.0 --- 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFL
Keionte Scott --- 74.1 --- 4 tackles 1 int. TD
Arvell Reese --- 73.1
Sonny Styles --- 65.9

3rd Down Conversions: OSU: 3-10, MIA 7/14
4th Down Conversions: OSU: 1/1, MIA 1-1
Turnovers: OSU 2, MIA 1
Total Yards: OSU 332, MIA 291
Points: OSU 14, MIA 24

Rueben Bain Jr.

In the college playoffs, Rueben Bain Jr. produced:

6.3 QB pressures per game (83 pressures on the season, tied for the most ever in NCAA D1 history)
5 sacks
1 forced fumble
1 interception

Season grades:

2025 Comparables
Pass Rush Grade
92.4
Run Defense Grade
86.2
True Pass Set Pass Rush Grade
92.4
Pass Rush Win Rate
23.5%
Run-Stop Rate
6.9%


What Miami HC Mario Cristobal says about Reuben Bain Jr. and Ahkeem Mesidor:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW6cxqJuAr4/ 


Four reasons why Rueben Bain Jr. is everything his coach says about him:

https://www.tiktok.com/@305sportss/video/7620612830152117534?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

https://www.tiktok.com/@espn/video/7608645476077866271?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

https://www.tiktok.com/@nfl/video/7610931184155069710?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

https://twitter.com/i/status/1970479003170677146


Keionte Scott:

NFL Draft Big Board (pff.com)
 
Season grades:
2025 Comparables
Coverage Grade
87.1
Run Defense Grade
91.2
Completion %
69.6%
Man Coverage Grade
77.7
Zone Coverage Grade
80.0

His 17 coverage stops was #6 in the nation.

Keionte Scott 2025 stats - Google Search

In the 2025 season, Miami Hurricanes cornerback Keionte Scott recorded 64 total tackles (42 solo), 13.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles. The senior corner was a key defensive playmaker, boasting a top-five PFF defensive grade among cornerbacks.
2025 Season Stats (Miami - Senior)
  • Total Tackles: 64 (42 solo, 22 assisted)
  • Sacks: 5.0
  • Tackles for Loss: 13.0
  • Interceptions: 2 (including a 72-yard pick-six vs. Ohio State)
  • Pass Deflections: 5
  • Forced Fumbles: 2
Key 2025 Performance Highlights
  • Elite Grade: Posted a 90.3 defensive grade by PFF, ranking among the top corners in the nation.
  • Versatility: Served as a physical run defender and an effective blitzer, with 5 sacks showing strong pressure off the edge.
  • Game-Changing Ability: Recorded 10 tackles against Texas A&M and a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown against Ohio State.
  • PFF Recognition: Finished as one of the highest-graded cornerbacks (90.5 overall, 91.4 in certain facets).
  • What Mario Cristobal says about Keionte Scott - Google Search
Mario Cristobal has expressed high praise for Keionte Scott, describing the defensive back as a, "different," elite player and a "joy to be around". Following a significant foot injury in November 2025, Cristobal praised Scott's mental toughness in recovery, noting his, "unbelievable energy," leadership, and value to the team.
Key details from Cristobal regarding Scott include:
  • Injury Recovery: After initially fearing a season-ending injury, Cristobal expressed strong optimism about Scott's return for the playoffs, noting his progress in practice.
  • Character and Leadership: Cristobal highlighted Scott's, "unbelievable energy" and positive, vocal leadership, even while injured.
  • Performance: He recognized Scott as a, "game-changer" who has been one of the team's best defenders, including high-impact plays like his pick-six.
  • Background: Cristobal mentioned a long-standing relationship with Scott, having recruited him previously while at Oregon
Conclusion: Were the Cardinals to draft Rueben Bain Jr. and Keionte Scott the whole flavor of their soft defense is going to change. 


Comments

  1. RedrunApril 10, 2026 at 6:16 AM

    All I can say to this is - YES PLEASE!!! hopefully we drive through McDonald(s) too. :)

    ReplyDelete

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