Beau Bell LB 6'1 244 UNLV 4.9

Bell spent his first season as a reserve, finishing with 26 tackles, one for loss. As a sophomore he became a starter, and made the most of his opportunities. He had 92 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and 3.5 sacks on the year. He was on his way to a huge junior season before an ankle injury limited him to just seven games. He had 76 tackles, nine for loss, and four sacks in those seven games. Bell came back strong as a senior though, finishing with a career high 111 tackles, 7.5 for loss, three sacks and four interceptions.

Bell is a versatile linebacker. He has played most of his career outside, but may project better inside in the NFL. He is built well, and plays strong on the field. He shows the ability to take on blocks, shed, and make the tackle. He is very good at finding the ball carrier and bringing him down. Bell shows the speed to make plays sideline to sideline and covers ground well when running in a straight line.

Bell does not have the change of direction skills to be a factor in coverage. Shows good awareness and has good long range speed, but is slow to accelerate when he is asked to cut and follow a receiver. Injuries have been a problem for Bell during his career, and bruised knee may have led to his 4.9 clocking at his pro day, as he clearly plays faster than that. A learning disorder may cause some concern about his ability to lead a defense, but he has shown solid instincts on the field during his career.

Bell is a talented linebacker but has some pressing questions about his potential. If he is placed in the right scheme, he has enough talent and ability to be a very good starter. The questions around his game and his lackluster pro day may cause him to slide to the last half of the draft, even though he was potentially a third rounder based on his on field ability.