From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Miami (FL) offensive tackle Markel Bell.
NO. 70 MARKEL BELL/OT/MIAMI (FL) – 6092, 346 POUNDS (SENIOR)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Markel Bell 6092/346 900 3258 8718
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
5.36 1.84 N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A
THE GOOD
-Elite size and length for the position; shows up on tape, too
-Uses his length well in pass protection, consistently widening the edge for defenders, keeping pressure away from QB
-Eye-popping power with impressive core torque to toss defenders aside
-Good leg drive in short yardage to create displacement in run game
-Vice-grip hands that can lock on and stall out pass rush plans
-Good movement skills at this size; utilized a lot on pulls and quick screens to perimeter
THE BAD
-Pad level is a mess with Bell; height detrimental to him at times
-Doesn’t have the foot speed in pass sets to consistently deal with speed rushers
-Susceptible on inside counters, particularly with speed
-Wasn’t asked to consistently climb and drive as run blocker in zone scheme
-Slow out of his stance, especially in the run game; almost as if he’s too slow processing target
STATS
-2025 stats: Played in and started all 16 games for Hurricanes in run to national championship game; allowed just nine pressures and no sacks in 826 snaps
-Appeared in 28 career games with 21 starts in two years with Hurricanes
-Played in 1,328 snaps in college after moving up from JUCO
-Spent first two seasons at Holmes Community College
INJURY HISTORY
-No reported injuries
BACKGROUND
-Born on July 18
-Raised in Cleveland, Mississippi, same hometown as past NFL players Pat Coleman, Ken Lucas, and Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack
-Former 4-star recruit that had to go JUCO route
-Was No. 4 overall JUCO recruit entering 2024 season
-Chose Miami over Arkansas, Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss
-Named third-team All-ACC offensive tackle in 2025
-Competed in 2026 Senior Bowl and earned Combine invite
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Football players are getting bigger and stronger as the game progresses, particularly in the trenches, and Miami (FL) left tackle Markel Bell is a great example of that.
Bell checked in at the Combine at 6092, 346 pounds with 36 3/8-inch arms and an absurd 87 1/8-inch wingspan. He towards over defenders week after week, and the power pops off tape. He has great length and he uses it well, both in pass protection and in the run game.
The torque he’s able to create with his size is impressive. He wasn’t asked to drive his feet much in the run game at Miami (FL), which will be a learning curve at the next level. But the power he has will play well at the next level.
He tossed that Florida State defender aside easily, opening a lane in the run game for the running back to burst through.
The power and pop in his hands is consistent.
He can truly bully defenders, making them look like rag dolls when he’s locked in. His performance against Florida State was very impressive and showed some of the high-end traits he has at his size entering the NFL.
When he was asked to drive his feet and create displacement in the run game, he does really well, particularly on down blocks and in double-team situations.
He can collapse the entire side of the defense in these situations. He still has a high pad level, but his size is overwhelming and allows him to just flat-out overpower defenders and move them of the spot.
In pass protection he uses his length really well, getting hands on pass rushers quickly and can lock them out entirely, negating the pass rush.
He does a good job of changing up his pass sets and keeping defenders guessing. With his length, he can attack in quick sets and completely shut pass rushers down right away in the rep.
Where Bell is most intriguing is out in space. He tested relatively well at the Combine for his size, and was asked consisnelty at Miami to get out in space in the screen game. His foot speed isn’t all that good, but when he gets moving downhill, he is a nightmare for defenders.
Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, one of the toughest pound-for-pound defenders in the country, found that out the hard way in the national championship game.
CONCLUSION
The size is so tantalizing with Miami (FL) offensive tackle Markel Bell. You simply cannot teach the size and length that he has. He plays well with that size in pass protection and utilizes his strength to his advantage in the run game, showing the ability to really toss defenders aside.
But coming out of Miami’s offense, he’ll have an adjustment to the NFL. He wasn’t asked to do much traditional run blocking and driving in college, and in pass protection everything was pretty quick, keeping him from being on a true island time and time again. His feet are inconsistent in pass protection, too, and he’s susceptible to inside rushes.
He reminds me a lot of former NFL journeyman Tyler Polumbus due to his size, but he’s a left tackle only right now. The size and length are worth taking a shot on, particularly late on Day 2. He just needs to land with the right offensive line coach and in a situation he doesn’t need to play heavy snaps right away.
NFL Projection: Late Day 2, Early Day 3
Steelers Depot Grade: 7.0 (Spot Starter)
Grade Range: 6.5-7.8
Games Watched: Notre Dame (2025), Florida State (2025), Texas A&M (2025), Ohio State (2025), Ole Miss (2025), Indiana (2025)
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