R7 P218: Travis Bell, DL - Kennesaw State

[Shadow]

This pick exemplifies what 7th round picks are, they are long shots. Take an athlete or freak of nature, so what if he is a project. Majority of 7th rounders do not make it out of camp. All that said, these are the guys I like to pick and root for to make an impact. Every season I pick a guy drafted in the 5th through 7th rounds that is my Pet Pick. Larry Borom was my pick when he got drafted, I still hope the guy sticks. This may be my 2023 Pet Pick. Have to finish looking at everyone though.

There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!

[Bearfacts]

He’s definitely a practice squad guy who was pretty much picked because Poles was impressed with him as a person. I don’t see him as a fit anywhere unless he loses a bunch of weight and moves to fullback.

I suppose he could be a Spice Adams type…

Or a lower level Booger McFarlane. The talent level coming in is far different than either but who knows what the kid may turn out to be? Maybe nothing at all and yet smaller stout DT with his kind of ability to move and a low center of gravity can become real annoyances for blockers to move around. Where do you attack a guy whose as wide as he is tall? LOL

I don't have much hope for him against NFL OL either yet ever once in a while a kid like him finds his niche and can find a spot in a rotation. At worst they can probably keep him on the PS for a year or two just to see what can be gotten out of him once he has some NFL conditioning and coaching. He's a 7th round shot in the dark where you hope to get lucky in find something.

[IE]

Don't get me wrong folks - I love me some underdogs. I need a new Jesper Horsted lol. I'd love to see a guy like this turn out as a cool outlier who can deliver.

Seriously though... when I hear this guy is 6', is that what he really is? Or is he like closer to 6'1"? Or under 6' and they're being kind? I see that as being right on the edge of being able to function as a regular player, and if he's over he might have a chance. If he's really under 6' it just doesn't seem realistic he could be effective. There is always the theiry that smaller quicker players can succeed - but they rarely do. Every great once in a while there is a Sam Mills. But mostly the outliers are to the larger side not smaller.

[wab]

IMO Poles simply decided to do a solid for this kid. Hard worker, likable, showed up for practice in his work clothes on his breaks from a full time job…

Him being drafted and getting a signing bonus is a life altering thing for a kid like this, even if he never steps foot on the field. Basically Poles gifted him a winning lottery ticket because he just liked Bell as a person and probably has no intention of him ever being a part of the active roster.

[IE]

IMO Poles simply decided to do a solid for this kid. Hard worker, likable, showed up for practice in his work clothes on his breaks from a full time job…

Him being drafted and getting a signing bonus is a life altering thing for a kid like this, even if he never steps foot on the field. Basically Poles gifted him a winning lottery ticket because he just liked Bell as a person and probably has no intention of him ever being a part of the active roster.

Agreed. The way he talked about him was more like he wanted him as a friend, or potentially wanted to hire him to train because of his work ethic. He didn't say anything foot-bally. lol

The one hedge is, he could have easily picked someone else at 7.1 because nobody else was going to pick the kid from Kennesaw St. Or does he get more money at the top of the 7th than bottom.

[The Cooler King]

IMO Poles simply decided to do a solid for this kid. Hard worker, likable, showed up for practice in his work clothes on his breaks from a full time job…

Him being drafted and getting a signing bonus is a life altering thing for a kid like this, even if he never steps foot on the field. Basically Poles gifted him a winning lottery ticket because he just liked Bell as a person and probably has no intention of him ever being a part of the active roster.

I mean that's a somewhat silly view of it if true (I don't think that's the case). Can go offer him a 6 figure UDFA signing bonus too and draft a talent elsewhere (where there's no competition for their services)

Obviously he was enamored with the makeup though. Seemed to be a really big theme this year.

[thunderspirit]

Yeah, I don't see a way you draft someone to do them a solid.

There's athletic ability there. He probably doesn't amount to anything, in no small part because he isn't big and long like Poles and Flus prefer. But he's a. 7th round flyer that possibly might turn into something.

[Grizzled]

So, the Bears had Tonga for a NT, got rid of him, had poor run stopping support last year, and drafted this guy? Okay ....

[IE]

So, the Bears had Tonga for a NT, got rid of him, had poor run stopping support last year, and drafted this guy? Okay ....

The Tonga move seems generally considered to be one of Poles' not-good moves. He made a minor mistake there, in terms of the play on the field. What we don't know is if there was something potentially disruptive about Tonga where right away they wanted to get rid of him for teambuilding reasons. Who knows.

But this guy isn't a replacement for Tonga he's just a guy they like and feel may be able to do what they want him to do. And despite Tonga's success with the Vikes perhaps they still feel like he wasn't the type they want for the long-term. That appears to be wanting guys who can play BOTH the 1T and 3T roles.

[Bearfacts]

So, the Bears had Tonga for a NT, got rid of him, had poor run stopping support last year, and drafted this guy? Okay ....

The Tonga move seems generally considered to be one of Poles' not-good moves. He made a minor mistake there, in terms of the play on the field. What we don't know is if there was something potentially disruptive about Tonga where right away they wanted to get rid of him for teambuilding reasons. Who knows.

But this guy isn't a replacement for Tonga he's just a guy they like and feel may be able to do what they want him to do. And despite Tonga's success with the Vikes perhaps they still feel like he wasn't the type they want for the long-term. That appears to be wanting guys who can play BOTH the 1T and 3T roles.

Bingo. I'm not certain everyone has picked up on this yet. There was a reason for selecting Dexter and Pickens as a potential pairing at DT and that's due to envisioning them to be used interchangeably at both DT positions just as in effect Edmunds and Edwards could also be used interchangeably at Mike and Will LB spots.

I'm not an NFL DC but I can understand how all of this may be used to create some pre-snap confusion at times in terms of blocking assignments potentially leaving someone unblocked or the wrong DL is being doubled. Unquestionably both Poles and Flus value versatility in their DL as well which is why this pair appealed more to them than some teams or draftniks.

Travis Bell has some pretty fair athleticism for his size and strong motor. With some NFL level weight work and conditioning and a couple years of coaching can they develop a useful DL out of him? I'm not gonna hold by breath but it's not as if it's never been done before and smaller more active DL with his size can give some OL fits. Spice Adams was roughly the same size.; 6'/310lbs.

[TheWorldBreaker]

So, the Bears had Tonga for a NT, got rid of him, had poor run stopping support last year, and drafted this guy? Okay ....

Even though he’s a little bit shorter, Bell actually has longer arms. 31 to Bell’s 32.65.

Also, Bell is a better overall athlete with better explosion and speed grades.

He better fits the fast and explosive athletic profile this regime wants, and even though he’s undersized he’s still actually also a better fit for the length part too.

[wab]

[The Kaiser]

This one surprised me. A lot. (Of course Bell is a 7th rounder, so the odds are really long already...but why not dream big, you know?)

https://ras.football/ras-compare/?p1=24 ... 659&pos=DT

This comp is mouthwatering.

[IE]

This one surprised me. A lot. (Of course Bell is a 7th rounder, so the odds are really long already...but why not dream big, you know?)

https://ras.football/ras-compare/?p1=24 ... 659&pos=DT

This comp is mouthwatering.

Well shit, man - I never realized Hargrave was a short guy.

Per what Coach Rod said, the broad jump is the biggest tell of all the measurables as a predictor of 3T success. I imagine he translates to 1T too but not as much.

Bell.JPG

[Moriarty]

First, Bears signed Andrew Billings and people scratched their heads and wondered "Spice Adams?" Now people are muttering the same about Bell. I can't help thinking the Bears might have a new idea for the DL.

Bell & Billings are very similar physically, with Bell being a little more athletic.

https://ras.football/ras-compare/?&p1=2 ... 307&pos=DT

[karhu]

I still wish we'd spent a pick at DE, where only Dominique Robinson and Jalen Harris are signed past 2023 (still pegging Walker at the only position where he was effective, and that's DT). But it's just Walker and the rookies at DT for now, so I reluctantly see the angle. We could have our core DT rotation right now for 2024 and beyond, and a seventh-round DE (or one in place of Sewell) wouldn't have done the same for the DE rotation.

And Bell seems like a helluva guy, which helps.

[HisRoyalSweetness]