Bucs land Rueben Bain Jr.'s teammate in 2026 NFL Draft redo

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came away with one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NFL Draft when Rueben Bain Jr. unexpectedly fell to No. 15 overall. According to Sports Illustrated, things could have looked much different in a redraft scenario.

>In a 2026 NFL Draft redo, Justin Melo projected Bain coming off the board earlier, leaving Tampa Bay to pivot to another Miami pass rusher, Akheem Mesidor, with the 15th overall pick.

>Rather than viewing it as a downgrade, Melo used the exercise to emphasize how fortunate the Buccaneers were on draft night. With Bain no longer available, Tampa Bay still lands a productive edge defender, but not the prospect the organization originally hoped would be there.

>Mesidor certainly has the résumé to justify a first-round selection. He broke out during his final season at Miami, recording 12.5 sacks while cementing himself as one of the nation's top pass rushers. His production and ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks made him a logical alternative in the redo.

>Still, the exercise highlights just how highly Bain was viewed entering the draft. Concerns surrounding his arm length caused him to slide further than many expected, allowing Tampa Bay to capitalize. Since arriving, Bain has quickly generated praise from the coaching staff, with Todd Bowles repeatedly highlighting his football intelligence and advanced understanding of the game.

>The Buccaneers never had to choose between the two Hurricanes teammates in reality, but Melo's redraft reinforces the value they found. If Bain continues developing the way Tampa Bay expects, passing on Mesidor may ultimately look like one of the easiest decisions the franchise has ever made.

>This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs land Rueben Bain Jr.'s teammate in 2026 NFL Draft redo