Miami OT Markel Bell Scouting Report
Give Them Bell
Image 1: OT Markel Bell (70) in pass protection
Height: 6’9
Weight: 340
Position: OT
Year: Senior
Background
Image 2: OT Markel Bell (78) at Holmes Community College
Markel Bell was a former zero-star recruit in the class of 2022 coming out of Cleveland Central High School in Cleveland, Mississippi. Due to a combination of limited camp exposure, playing at a small high school, and being technically raw, Bell received minimal recruiting attention despite being his massive size. Though he had offers from various HBCUs, Bell decided to go JUCO and commit to Holmes Community College with the goals of developing further. After two season of fixing his body and refining his technique, Bell entered 2024 as a four-star JUCO prospect and was graded as the top OL recruit in the class. Despite having offers from big in-state schools like Ole Miss and Mississippi State, Bell ultimately committed to Miami.
As a Hurricane, Markel Bell was initialled viewed as a developmental prospect who would hopefully take over for Jalen Rivers once Rivers entered the draft. After Rivers suffered an injury that required him to miss time, Bell spot started at OT throughout Miami’s 2024 campaign. Even after Rivers was healthy, Miami continued to develop Bell by rotating him in at OT with Rivers kicking inside to OG. Entering the 2025 season, Bell is Miami’s starting LT and has made major improvements in his senior season. With a season that ended in a national championship appearance and a Senior Bowl invite, Bell is emerging as one of the fastest risers in the 2026 draft class.
Athletic Tools
With a 6’9 and 340 lb frame with 36+ inch arms, Markel Bell is one of the largest and longest OT prospects ever. Bell’s exceptional length makes it incredibly easy for him to make first contact with his punches in pass protection. In addition, Bell is great at using his length to establish leverage by getting under the pads of defenders. Not only is Bell incredibly long, but he is incredibly strong. With great hand heaviness, grip strength, and core strength, Bell has reps where he overwhelms defenders with his power. In terms of his mobility, Bell is a poor movement athlete with ok foot quickness in his pass set. Though the limits of his range will be tested by elite speed and get-off athletes, Bell’s length and strength should let him still be effective in pass protection in poor athleticism matchups.
Video 1: OT Markel Bell (70) landing two accurate punches and locking out the EDGE
Video 2: OT Markel Bell (70) stalls out the EDGE with his core and grip strength
Video 3: OT Markel Bell (70) flashes solid foot speed when getting depth in pass protection
Due to his lack of mobility and awkwardly tall frame, Bell is a limited run blocker. Because of his height and pad level, Bell is unable to consistently get underneath the pads of defenders to generate push in the run game. Even when not drive blocking, Bell is an easy lineman to shed when base blocking due to always being at a leverage disadvantage. When blocking on the move, Bell is a very awkward, slow athlete who is not going to be a major asset in open space in the run game. For schemes that ask their OTs to reach or play in space, Bell is a functionally unrosterable player.
Video 4: OT Markel Bell (70) performs a double team with the OG and fails to get displacement due to his lack of leverage
Video 5: OT Markel Bell (70) fails to get leverage on the DT and almost lets him tackle the RB
Video 6: OT Markel Bell (70) lacking the speed necessary to climb and seal the DB
Video 7: OT Markel Bell (70) using his length to lock out the EDGE and control his gap
Technicals
For a player who a raw former JUCO prospect a few years ago, Markel Bell has made significant strides in his pass protection technique. In terms of his punch technique, Bell has grown significantly in his consistency landing consistent well-timed and placed strikes. Though he is generally consistent, Bell has reps where he catches and suffers loses to plays rushing him with power. When in these situations, Bell has developed an effective ability to recover by resetting his feet and sinking his hips. In terms of his footwork in his pass set, Bell needs to set with wider strides and improve his vertical set footwork. For a player with only ok movement and athleticism, Bell setting with wider strides should let him be more effective against speed mismatches off the edge. Beyond stride length, Bell needs to work on consistently setting his feet when punching to maximize his hand heaviness.
Video 8: OT Markel Bell (70) initially loses to power and resets his feet to regain ground
Video 9: OT Markel Bell (70) catches in pass protection and uses his anchor to buy enough time for the QB to get the ball out
Video 10: OT Markel Bell (70) taking shallow strides in his vertical set and failing to set his feet when throwing his punch against the EDGE/LB
In terms of technical issues, Bell’s height and limited athleticism create major issues for him in the run game, as mentioned previously. In pass protection, Bell needs to get better at recovering on inside counters. While part of this stems from his lack of quick-twitch athleticism, Bell has a lack of awareness when defenders cross his face or when he occasionally over-sets. Bell needs to develop a better understanding of sells that EDGEs have when countering inside and how to perform proper reactionary footwork (stop your kick foot and drive your post foot inside to mirror against the EDGE crossing your face). Beyond inside counters, Bell needs to stop leaning when punching to avoid himself getting out of position.
Video 11: OT Markel Bell (70) lacking the quickness needed to mirror the EDGE completely
Video 12: OT Markel Bell (70) oversets and is late to use the proper footwork to react to the inside counter
Video 13: OT Markel Bell (70) leans and punches with unset feet which leads to a free rusher
Draft Projection
Markel Bell currently has an early day two grade. Though he needs more refinement, Bell’s progression and great frame make me bullish on his NFL projection. While he would benefit greatly with time on the bench to get adjusted to NFL-caliber speed athletes, Bell is capable enough of a technical prospect to see early playing time as a rookie. Although he is too unrefined and unathletic for a true day one grade, Bell’s rare length, elite play strength, and solid foot quickness give him franchise OT potential if he is able to continue his current development path.
Athletic Testing
Will be updated after the NFL Combine/Miami Pro Day
Pro Comparison
Image 3: OT Orlando Brown Jr (75) during the 2024 season with the Cincinnati Bengals
With both being mountain-sized men, it is easy to see similarities between Orlando Brown Jr and Markel Bell. Despite being a limited athlete, Brown has been a good starter at OT due to his strength, length, and size. Although Brown was more technically refined as a draft prospect, Bell’s rapid growth and current technical refinement makes me believe he can develop into a player similar to Brown. Both are not fits in many run schemes due to their poor leverage and limited movement, but Brown and Bell are players who can be quality starters in the right situation.
Date Published: 10/20/2025
Date Last Updated: 01/25/2025
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