MIAMI (WSVN) - Former Miami Hurricanes edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., now a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, returned home to give back to those who supported him in his community.
Bain plays with a passion on the field for the game that he loves. Off the field, he has that same passion to give back to his community — and Lorah Park Elementary School, the Miami school he once attended.
“It’s something that’s real deep into my heart, really donating back to the school as much as I can, trying to bring as much publicity and notoriety, and I feel like this event is going to help that out a lot,” he said.
7Sports caught up with Bain at his second annual Bain Foundation, where hundreds of children received free backpacks and much-needed school supplies.
“Last year we started at about, almost 200 so, actually, it is more than double, and just a blessing to be in this position, to honestly do this, and it’s something I look forward to grow and grow each and every year,” he said.
Bain will soon turn his attention to his first NFL training camp, after he was Tampa Bay’s first round pick in the latest NFL draft.
He recently finished his first mini camp with the Buccaneers.
“Mini camp was great, man. I’m in a great team, great program, I got a lot of great leaders, got a lot of great veterans in front of me, so they helped the transition be even smoother,” said Bain. “Honestly man, I’m so happy I’m a Buc.”
Tampa Bay hopes Bain could be the impact rusher the Bucs’ defense has been sorely missing. Their total defense ranked 19th in the NFL last season.
“I know it’s gonna be hard, but at the end of the day it’s football, and no matter where you go is football going to be football, and just kind of want to show up and show my teammates that I’m ready to play, and they can trust me from day one,” he said.
Bain has the chance to be a game changer at the NFL level, after he finished his career with the Canes as a first-team All-American, with 121 tackles and 20 and a half sacks.
His mentality has never changed on the field since the days he played at Miami Central.
“I felt like that was instilled in me these last three years, and previously before that the last four years before I got to college. Everywhere I go, I feel like I made a difference, and I want to continue that same impact when I get to the next level,” said Bain. “You playing with the best of the best — and that’s in the world, not even just the country – so it’s going to be a little different, a little more challenging, but at the end of the day, it’s up to me to step up to that challenge.”
Bain said he was a bit disappointed his hometown Dolphins didn’t draft him, but he’s ready to lead that Tampa Bay defense.
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