GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 8: Markel Bell #70 of the Miami Hurricanes reacts after a touchdown in the second half during the CFP Semifinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against the Ole Miss Rebels at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images) | Getty Images
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 8: Markel Bell #70 of the Miami Hurricanes reacts after a touchdown in the second half during the CFP Semifinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against the Ole Miss Rebels at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the No. 68 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select … Markel Bell, offensive tackle, Miami!
There was a lot of thought that the Birds would address offensive tackle in the first round but instead they’re landing one here in the third.
Bell, who turns 22 in July, has a massive frame at 6’9”, 346 pounds with very long arms. The downside is that his athletic testing wasn’t great.
It remains to be seen if the Eagles will be as successful developing offensive linemen now that legendary assistant coach Jeff Stoutland is gone but they’re certainly still going to try. Bell could conceivably compete with Fred Johnson to be the Eagles’ top backup option at left tackle behind Jordan Mailata … but he’s more likely to be a developmental project who might eventually become a full-time player.
BGN’s own Jonny Page ranked Bell as his 19th offensive lineman in this year’s class:
Overall: A massive, long tackle whose exceptional frame and raw traits give him clear developmental value. He is a significant distance from contributing meaningfully to an NFL team right now, and his height may actually work against him in some situations.
Eagles Thoughts: If Bell falls to Day 3, I wouldn’t mind investing in him as a long-term project. He’s too raw and too far away to justify a Day 2 pick. He might genuinely just be too tall, but as a developmental swing tackle with a huge frame, he has some intrigue late.
Scouting report via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:
Mountainous tackle with rare physical attributes that work both in his favor and against him depending on the situation. There is no escaping a high center of gravity, which will impact his ability to change direction in protection and create consistent engagement as a run blocker. Bell must play in a gap-scheme attack to minimize his limitations. He has exceptional length that he puts to good use in finding static pass rushers and offering shade to the pocket. NFL edge speed and sudden inside moves could be an evergreen issue for Bell, but with coaching he could learn to mitigate those issues with his length. He has Day 3 value but might have a firm ceiling on his upside.
College snap counts via Pro Football Focus:
2024 — LT 543, LG 1
2025 — LT 1029, LG 1
Spider graph via Mockdraftable: