- Rueben Bain Jr. has signed with Athletes First for on-field representation ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
- Agents Olivia Green, Austin Lyman, Trevon Smith, Tory Dandy, and David Mulugheta will handle his representation.
- Bain is widely projected as a first-round pick, coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 9.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss, and earned the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end.
- The signing continues Athletes First's aggressive pursuit of top 2026 NFL Draft talent, inking defensive backs Ar’Darius Washington and Mike Jackson Sr. to representation deals.
Rueben Bain Jr., one of the most talked-about prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, has signed with Athletes First for on-field representation. Agents Olivia Green, Austin Lyman, Trevon Smith, Tory Dandy, and David Mulugheta will lead his representation.
The Miami Hurricanes standout was the 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, won the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s top defensive end, and earned consensus All-America first-team honors.
In his final college season, he started all 16 games, tallied 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. Over his full college career, he racked up 121 tackles and 20.5 sacks.
This signing adds to a strong run of draft-class pickups for Athletes First. The agency recently brought on prospects Ar’Darius Washington and Mike Jackson Sr., reflecting the agency’s deliberate push to lock up elite 2026 draft prospects.
David Mulugheta has built one of the most powerful rosters in the NFL, representing stars like Micah Parsons, Jordan Love, and Jalen Ramsey. Tory Dandy, a recently added equity partner at the firm, is one of football’s most respected agents.
With the 2026 NFL Draft kicking off April 23 in Pittsburgh, Bain heads into draft week with elite-level agency firepower behind him.
Takeaways
Landing at Athletes First, home to some of the biggest contracts in the NFL, is a statement move for Bain entering what could be a transformative week.
With Mulugheta having negotiated billions in active NFL contracts and Dandy bringing deep relationships across the league, Bain is walking into the draft with one of the strongest negotiating teams available.
The question now isn’t just where he gets drafted, it’s how quickly this agency can maximize his first contract and set the foundation for a long-term career.
Does signing with Athletes First give Bain a competitive edge in pre-draft negotiations compared to prospects with smaller agencies? Could Bain’s on-field versatility, rushing both inside and outside, make him even more valuable in contract talks?
