Levi Bell NFL Draft Overview
Position: Defensive Tackle/Interior Defensive Lineman
Height: 6′-0″
Weight: 262 pounds
School: Texas State
2023 NFL Draft: Levi Bell Scouting Report
Levi Bell’s college football career began in 2018 at Idaho College. Bell played in seven games for the Yotes and was credited with 17 tackles, including 1.5 sacks while also recovering a fumble. Bell transferred the following season to Tyler Junior College, in Tyler, Texas. During the 2019 season, Bell played in nine games for the Apache making 41 tackles (35 solo, six assisted), including three sacks, while also recovering a fumble.
After the season, Bell once again transferred to Louisiana Tech. In his first season in the Bayou State, Bell appeared in nine of the Bulldogs 10 games. On the season he had 19 tackles (nine solo, 10 assisted), including 1.5 sacks. In 2021, Bell appeared in four of 12 games for the Bulldogs, including three starts on the defensive line. He had eight tackles (five solo, three assisted), including three sacks, and also recovered a fumble.
After the 2021 season, Bell transferred once again, this time to Texas State University. In his lone season for the Bobcats, Bell played in all 12 games including 11 starts on the defensive line. He had a career-high 65 tackles (26 solo, 39 assisted), including five sacks.
Strengths
- Plays bigger than his size;
- Has experience and versatility at a variety of positions including linebacker;
- Has a very high number of sacks over his career;
- Has the speed to get into the backfield;
- Keeps eyes in the backfield while engaged with his defender.
Weaknesses
- Did not play a full season (12 games), in a single season in any of the four schools he played at;
- Is undersized for a defensive lineman;
- Transitioning to a linebacker position, full-time may prove difficult at this juncture of his career;
- The level of competition he played against is questionable;
- May not have been scouted enough to be drafted.
NFL Comparison: Kerry Hyder
Teams With Need At Position: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints
Projection: Round 7-UDFA
Bottom Line on Levi Bell
Levi Bell on the surface seems like a sack machine, which he is. However, most of that production came when he was playing for smaller programs, aside from Louisiana Tech. Perhaps a team believes he’s worth 7th-round pick if they don’t want to risk waiting until after the draft to sign as an undrafted free agent. Realistically, he will likely sign as an undrafted free agent.
Bell’s numbers are too intriguing not to get an NFL opportunity. On the plus side, he plays bigger than his size and can be versatile, as he has experience at both defensive line and linebacker. He has the speed to get to the backfield as evidenced by his disproportionate number of sacks over his career. He is able to keep his eyes in the backfield while engaged with his defender, which leads to his high number of quarterback takedowns.
What will likely cause and to be an undrafted free agent is that he did not play a full season, in this case, 12 games, in any one season at any of the four schools he attended which may or may not be an issue of durability. He is undersized for a defensive lineman and to try to convert him to a linebacker full-time at this point in his football career may not be worth the time or energy.
Teams will definitely question the level of competition he played against with the most competitive being Conference USA, which teams will also recognize as a non-power five conference. Ultimately, he’s worth a dart throw, but he probably won’t amount to anything more than a depth player.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron – USA Today Sports
