"Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. can usually be found in the same place. They first met on a Miami visit in 2022 when Mesidor was in the transfer portal and Bain was a high school sophomore. Now teammates, they're inseparable, even while they're in opposing backfields ambushing quarterbacks. But between the two of them, the biggest debate is which one of them is going to get to the QB first."
"At Miami's Greentree practice facility, in team hotels, in the weight room, anything and everything is a contest with barely any separation between them, even their jersey numbers. For Mesidor, who wears No. 3, and Bain, No. 4, it's still all about the two. Who gets to practice first? Who stays out on the field the latest? Who watches the most film? Who works harder? Who clocked a higher GPS speed in practice? Who did more reps in the weight room? Who was first in the stretch line?"
Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. are teammates at Miami who push each other through constant competition in practices, hotels, and the weight room. Both wear similar numbers and vie over every measurable — practice order, film study, GPS speed, reps, and on-field reps. The rivalry translates to production: combined tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, and pressures in playoff games, including a 10-tackle, 5.5 TFL, 4.5-sack performance vs. Texas A&M, and Mesidor's 11 hurries. Coaches and teammates credit their competitiveness with elevating Miami's defensive line and disrupting opposing offenses in the playoffs.
Read at ESPN.com
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