Jaheim

Bell

The Patriots’ front-seven is down three starters at this point. It’s an unideal situation facing the 49ers’ vaunted rushing attack. The 49ers’ pass rush should also effectively generate pressure against the Patriots’ problematic offensive line.

Bell (6'2/241) is arguably the most unique tight end prospect in the class. He began his career at South Carolina and broke out in his second season with 30 catches for 497 yards and five scores. Then, in 2022, the Gamecocks split his reps evenly between running back and tight end, slashing his receiving output to 231 yards and two scores. He added 261 rushing yards and three scores on the ground. After transferring to Florida State for his final season, Bell picked up where he left off as a tight end, totaling 503 yards and two touchdowns on 39 grabs. He posted an 8.43 RAS at the combine, highlighted by a 4.61-second 40. Bell doesn’t have the size take on defensive linemen as a blocker and even improvements in his technique can’t change that simple fact. His uncanny ability to turn short catches into long gains makes him a great weapon out of the slot and he is a Swiss Army Knife out of the backfield. The Patriots will need to be creative if they want to get the most out of him.

Bell began garnering a decent amount of attention after his standout 2021 season when he caught 30 passes for 497 yards with five touchdowns. He’s among the best returning tight ends in the Power Five with a 97.0 grade on play-action passes last year, putting him ahead of everyone else with Dalton Kincaid and Sam LaPorta directly behind him. Expect him to become a bigger name once the season gets underway this fall.

If you haven’t heard of Bell yet, you will. He had a breakout 2021 season for a 30/497/5 slash line, and while the surface stats don’t make you take a step back, it’s how he did it that will amaze you. He averaged 16.6 yards per catch and led all FBS tight ends with 11.3 yards after contact last year. He’s going to show to be the most athletic TE this year as he possesses quickness for someone of his size and has that strength to stiff-arm the defender, he even took seven handoffs last year. Michael Mayer is probably the No. 1 at the position this year, but now Bell has Spencer Rattler behind center, and an upgrade in QB could prove to be a huge difference to get him as a top 2023 prospect.

Bell (6'2/230) was an important piece of the Gamecocks’ offense in 2021, reeling in 30 receptions for 497 yards with five touchdowns. He’s received high praise from analysts ahead of the upcoming season following his breakout, especially from Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus: “Bell is the best tight end in the country with the ball in his hands.” It will be interesting to see how much that holds true moving into 2022.

Renner refers to Bell (6'2"/230) as “The best tight end in the country with the ball in his hands. So much so that South Carolina gave him seven handoffs last season! And that doesn’t even include this 65-yarder that was called back.” In just 30 receptions, he broke 13 tackles which amounts to a sensational 43% broken tackle rate while earning an 88.8 receiving grade according to PFF. With former number one overall quarterback recruit Spencer Rattler now at the helm, expect his 488 receiving yards and five touchdowns from last season increase.

Last season Bell (6'3/230) broke out for 30 receptions for 497 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 16.6 yards per reception. According to 247Sports’ Alex Jones, USA Today is just one of many outlets that highlighted Bell as a player to watch heading into this season. Bell led all SEC tight ends in yards per reception and yards after catch (354) last season and was third among SEC tight ends in receiving yards.

Bell (6'3/230) after missing most of his freshman year due to a torn meniscus, had an impressive sophomore season and looks to carry that into 2022. While he’s listed as a tight end, he can line up anywhere on the field and creates matchup problems. His size allows him to beat any defender at the catch point, but he also has the speed to get downfield and make the home run catch. He’s coming into the season as one of the top returning tight ends, and with him becoming draft-eligible after this season, he could easily go into the draft as one of the top prospects at the position.

Thursday’s Mayo Bowl matchup could hardly have gone better for Bell (6'3/230) or the Gamecocks as they pulled out a win as an underdog. The versatile Bell finished out the day with five receptions for 159 yards with two touchdowns, far and away the team’s leading receiver on the day. It will be interesting to watch how he and this promising South Carolina team continue to grow in the future.

Bell (6'4/213) is down to three schools, Florida State, Oklahoma and South Carolina, and he plans to make his decision (and sign) during the early signing period. As for how the injury has impacted the four-star talent’s recruitment, the Valdosta, Georgia native told Rivals recruiting analyst Chad Simmons that all three schools remain committed to him. “All three schools have told me that nothing has changed, that they still want me and that my scholarship offer is still a go,” Bell said. “It felt good to hear that. Right when I got hurt, I worried about that, so once the coaches told me that they are not dropping me, that I still have the offer and that they are going to keep recruiting me, I felt a lot better.” What position Bell will play at the next level is unknown, but it would not be a surprise if he lined up at wide receiver.