The Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting Miami offensive tackle Markel Bell as one of their 30 pre-draft visits on Friday.
Bell is a massive human, standing at 6-foot-9, 346 pounds. He's also fast for his size, posting an impressive 5.36 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine .
Bell has nine-inch hands and an arm length of 36 3/8.
"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," NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote . "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."
Bell made 21 starts over the last two seasons at Miami. He was named Third-Team All-ACC last season, allowing zero sacks. He as a 3-sack total over 28 games.
Bell is projected as a mid-to-late round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft .
Offensive tackle could be a major need for the Steelers in the draft, especially considering Broderick Jones ' season-ending neck injury last season. Steelers general manager Omar Khan must choose whether to pick up Jones' fifth-year option by May 1. Jones, a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, also suffered a neck injury against the Chicago Bears in Week 12, which sidelined him for the rest of the season. It sounds like that's a factor Khan is considering as he weighs whether to secure Jones past next season.
"Obviously, he had a significant injury and we're monitoring how he progresses," Khan said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "I know he's working hard. It's early in the process. That's certainly something that we're monitoring."
Jones started 11 games at left tackle last season, taking over for Dan Moore Jr. , who left to join the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Jones mainly played right tackle before that.
Bell is the first pre-draft visit for the Steelers. Every NFL team is allotted 30 pre-draft visits.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Host Massive Miami OT for Pre-Draft Visit
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