The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Rueben Bain Jr. with the 15th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
It’s a move that many are calling the steal of the draft, as Bain was expected to be drafted in the top ten.
Jason Licht went as far as to say the team had Bain ranked in their top five prospects, which explains why the draft room was so visibly excited to select him.
Head coach Todd Bowles appeared on The Rich Eisen Show and spoke about his first-round pick, and he also sent a message to the rest of the roster in the process.
Todd Bowles said the quiet part out loud about his Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bowles was asked about Bain’s walk to the stage on draft night, which has since gone viral.
“He’s just a very confident guy. He’s a very high-strung type of player that likes to show his emotions on his sleeve and let you know where he’s coming from, so I think he was just ready to get to work,” said Bowles.
When asked if Bain’s fire and passion is something he wants to stoke throughout the locker room, Bowles’ response was telling.
“Hope it spreads.” 👀
— The Pewter Plank (@ThePewterPlank) April 28, 2026
It sounds like Todd Bowles just sent a message to his roster here, by hoping Rueben Bain’s passion and fire will spread throughout the rest of the team.
Were things bad in the locker room last year, or am I reading too much into it?
(H/T: @RichEisenShow) pic.twitter.com/OH0GHnUYcX
“Love it. Love it to death. Hope it spreads.”
‘Hope it spreads’ is the key part of this quote. It implies that Bain’s passion and demeanor might not be the status quo in the locker room, and Bowles is hoping the rookie can light a fire under the team.
It’s definitely telling about the state of the team, and could explain how the team fell apart so badly down the stretch last season. Good on Bowles for sending a message to his roster, but it’s not ideal that a roster full of veterans needs a rookie to set the tone.
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