Markel Bell has the size. Hurricanes’ lineman now has NFL opportunity as third-round pick
Markel Bell, a towering presence of an offensive lineman at 6-9 and 346 pounds who spent the pasts two seasons with the Miami Hurricanes, has the size to succeed in the NFL.
Now, he has the opportunity.
The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Bell in the third round with the No. 68 overall pick on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday.
After two seasons at Holmes Community College in Mississippi, Bell transferred to Miami ahead of the 2024 season and immediately pushed to become a contributor.
He worked his way into the starting lineup when original starting left tackle Jalen Rivers got injured in Miami’s season opener against Florida and continued to stay in the rotation after Rivers returned to action. He played in 12 games, starting five.
“Markel Bell is no longer 6-9 to anybody now; he’s just a good football player,” Hurricanes offensive line coach Alex Mirabal said ahead of the 2025 season. “Now, people don’t ask him, ‘Hey, do you play basketball?’ Now, it’s ‘Man, this kid’s pretty good.’ He’s worked himself and prepared himself into being the player that he is.”
Bell then became fully entrenched as Miami’s starting left tackle in 2025, starting all 16 games on the Hurricanes’ way to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Bell played 1,034 offensive snaps and, according to Pro Football Focus, did not allow a quarterback sack on 534 pass-blocking opportunities.
His journey now continues in the NFL.
What they’re saying
-NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein describes Bell as a “mountainous tackle with rare physical attributes that work both in his favor and against him depending on the situation.”
“There is no escaping a high center of gravity, which will impact his ability to change direction in protection and create consistent engagement as a run blocker. Bell must play in a gap-scheme attack to minimize his limitations. He has exceptional length that he puts to good use in finding static pass rushers and offering shade to the pocket. NFL edge speed and sudden inside moves could be an evergreen issue for Bell, but with coaching he could learn to mitigate those issues with his length.”
-ESPN’s Field Yates has Bell as his No. 129 prospect and No. 15 offensive tackle.
-The Athletic’s Dane Brugler lists Bell as his No. 97 overall draft prospect and No. 10 offensive tackle, describing him as “a towering, top-heavy blocker with an engulfing wingspan.”
“His technical skill continues to mature with additional reps, although savvy rushers can attack his leverage and quickly force him into recovery mode. His average knee bend shows when trying to dig out defenders, but he has enough quickness to cover up in the run game.”
-CBS Sports had Bell as its No. 151 overall prospect and No. 16 offensive tackle.
“Standing nearly 6-foot-9 with massive 36-inch arms, Markel Bell is a towering presence at left tackle. He uses his rare length and grip strength to shut down defenders, but his height can be a disadvantage if he stands too upright. When he plays with a low stance and good leverage, he is an immovable ‘brick wall’ with high-end NFL potential.”
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