How Canes’ Markel Bell respond to adversity and more Senior Bowl notes
Markel Bell didn’t have the best first day of practice.
In what initially looked like an extremely unfair matchup, Missouri’s Zion Young put Bell on his butt as the star edge rusher ran through the Miami tackle during 1-on-1s. Bell, however, didn’t hang his head. He didn’t sulk. And he certainly didn’t back down.
“It’s just how life is,” Bell said. “[They’re gonna] smile on the bad things but I really [don’t] care. It’s a learning lesson. I look at it and say ‘It’s a good rep by him, bad rep by me.’”
Instead, he locked up Young on the following rep, the clip of which has yet to receive the attention of the initial embarrassment.
“I came back the second rep and locked him up,” Bell said. “I’m good — I’m ready to go out there and compete and lock somebody else up.”
Bell also wanted to set the record straight: he definitely slipped.
An options at receiver
The University of Southern California has produced some elite wide receivers.
From Keyshawn Johnson to Drake London to Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Trojans likely once had a claim.
Ask Jakobe Lane how he plans to add his name to the list of phenomenal wideouts from his alma mater and his answer is rather simple.
“Just being who I am,” Lane said. “Not really trying to go above and beyond to be a household name. Just realizing what I bring to the table and not really shying away from that.”
Added Lane: “I’m my own man. I’m my own person. So I’m not trying to compare myself to anyone.”
Along with his teammate Makai Lemon, a consensus top-three prospect at his position, the pair of receivers will help usher in the next generation of great Trojans at the next level.
With the Miami Dolphins’ staff still taking shape, it’s unclear what new coach Jeff Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik would want at receiver. But at 6-4, Lane certainly fits the bill if the Dolphins prioritize size at wideout.
What’s the key to Cignetti’s success?
Curt Cignetti has transformed into college football’s darling after he coached the Indiana Hoosiers to its first national championship in school history.
And while people might tend to focus on the viral clips that have garnered him much-deserved celebrity, that’s not what makes him great, according to Indiana running back Kaelon Black.
“His efficiency and attention to detail,” Black said when asked what was the recipe to Cignetti’s success. “He’s a very detail-oriented coach, and he’s always wanting his players to get better at the end of the day.”
Dolphins talk to Rutledge
Keylan Rutledge has been one of the top offensive line prospects at the Senior Bowl.
His toughness has become a calling card, with ESPN’s Jordan Reid even noting that several coaches had to tell the Georgia Tech standout to tone it down. This, however, happens to right what the Dolphins need as they look to reshape its identity under Hafley.
“That should be the No. 1 characteristic of an O-lineman,” Rutledge said, adding his toughness “is what’s most important to me.” “You want to finish your guy into the dirt; you just don’t want to position block him.”
And as Rutledge told the Miami Herald, he has already had a conversation with the Dolphins at the Senior Bowl.
This story was originally published January 29, 2026 at 3:02 PM.
