Buccaneers take Rueben Bain Jr. with 15th pick in NFL draft - ESPN

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. with the 15th pick in the NFL draft Thursday, less than two weeks after news surfaced that the former Miami star was involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in the death of a passenger in 2024.

«I was fortunate enough to get my name called, no matter where it was,» Bain said from the draft in Pittsburgh, surrounded by what he estimates were 20-25 family members there supporting him.

Bucs general manager Jason Licht said Bain was «very emotional, as we were,» when making the phone call.

«He was just very grateful that he was coming here,» Licht said. «So I think asked him first thing was, I picked up the phone and said, 'What are you doing the next 5-10 years?' He said, 'I'm gonna be a Buc.'»

Licht said the Bucs did extensive work on Bain in the leadup to the draft and weren't caught off-guard by the news, which was first reported by The Read Optional. He acknowledged the magnitude of the situation but offered his support to Bain.

«We've known about this for a long time. I know it just came out a couple of weeks ago,» Licht said Thursday. «It was a very tragic accident, tragic experience for the family, and it's something you never want to see happen. But he's a good person. He was involved in something that none of us ever want to be involved in or want any of our loved ones to be involved in. But he loves football. He loves football.»

Bain, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, was considered one of the top edge rushers in the draft, with some prognosticators believing he's a top-10 talent.

When asked about what the last two weeks have been like since the news of the accident became public, he said: «Yeah, you know everything has its