Rueben Bain Selected to Nagurski Trophy Watch List

Trinton Breeze

Jul 29, 2025 2 min read

Miami Hurricanes junior defensive lineman Rueben Bain, Jr. has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented annually by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club to the top defensive player in college football.

Coming off a sophomore season in which he recorded 23 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks despite missing nearly four full games due to injury, Bain, Jr., earned All‑ACC honorable mention honors.

During an impressive 2023 freshman campaign, the Miami native posted 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks over 13 games, earning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, third-team All‑ACC distinction and multiple Freshman All‑America team selections.

Miami has produced two past winners of the Nagurski Trophy: Warren Sapp in 1994 and Dan Morgan in 2000.

Bain, Jr., becomes the second Hurricane to be recognized to a major preseason watch list; Carson Beck was named to the Maxwell Award watch list earlier in the week.

The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce four finalists for the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Trophy in mid-to-late November, and the winner will be revealed at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet on Dec. 8 in Charlotte, N.C.

Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game.

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Comments (10)

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Cane30

Jul 29, 2025

Bain is ready. Their were times he was pulled in Spring so the O could perform. To be fair, that also happened with Alston at a Spring practice last year. Their were times he ate up SiSi in a practice, which happens. In turn, our Spring QB room was not good, so. He will probably start the season getting double teamed against ND, but hopefully this DL finally steps up and teams can no longer afford to double team him. I expect his best performance, yet.

FrancisSawyer

Jul 29, 2025

Cane30 said:
Bain is ready. Their were times he was pulled in Spring so the O could perform. To be fair, that also happened with Alston at a Spring practice last year. Their were times he ate up SiSi in a practice, which happens. In turn, our Spring QB room was not good, so. He will probably start the season getting double teamed against ND, but hopefully this DL finally steps up and teams can no longer afford to double team him. I expect his best performance, yet.

Getting the Rueben Bain that we expected last year will be absolutely huge in terms of our overall defensive effectiveness. Let ND double him up. They will have to deal with Blount, Mesidor, Lightfoot and Lowe. Not to mention Blay, Scott and Moten.

Golsen82

Jul 29, 2025

We need the Bain from the Clemson game.

D
Disgustipated

Jul 29, 2025

Ok we're are watching

Last edited: Jul 29, 2025

grover

Jul 29, 2025

Golsen82 said:
We need the Bain from the Clemson game.

If that happens we will be a dominant defense. There are a lot more pieces around son this time around.

Hstokes1447

Jul 29, 2025

Golsen82 said:
We need the Bain from the Clemson game.

If he wants to be a top 25 draft pick, he needs to be that Bain, every game this season.

grover

Jul 29, 2025

Cane30 said:
Bain is ready. Their were times he was pulled in Spring so the O could perform. To be fair, that also happened with Alston at a Spring practice last year. Their were times he ate up SiSi in a practice, which happens. In turn, our Spring QB room was not good, so. He will probably start the season getting double teamed against ND, but hopefully this DL finally steps up and teams can no longer afford to double team him. I expect his best performance, yet.

I thought Alston was going to make that leap smh. I don’t think he’s even on a NFL camp roster this year is he? He’s one reason I refuse to believe Blay and Poyser are the real deal u til I see them live in P4 play.

S
Sugarcane521

Jul 29, 2025

I'm expecting a big year from Bain. Would love to see him go 1st Rd which probably means our season was somewhat successful

D
Disgustipated

Jul 29, 2025

grover said:
I thought Alston was going to make that leap smh. I don’t think he’s even on a NFL camp roster this year is he? He’s one reason I refuse to believe Blay and Poyser are the real deal u til I see them live in P4 play.

Alston was good when the season started. Than he got hurt and pretty much missed the rest of the season. I believe he came back the last 2 maybe 3 games.

Hstokes1447

Jul 30, 2025

grover said:
I thought Alston was going to make that leap smh. I don’t think he’s even on a NFL camp roster this year is he? He’s one reason I refuse to believe Blay and Poyser are the real deal u til I see them live in P4 play.

Alston was actually playing good before he was injured.