‘We couldn’t get around him’ — ACC coach explains why Miami Hurricanes starter could be an NFL Draft sleeper
A number of Miami Hurricanes have gotten substantial coverage leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft. However, one player who’s slid under the radar could become a sleeper on Sundays.
The Miami Hurricanes are expected to have a notable impact during the top half of the 2026 NFL Draft. That’s not too surprising, given the talent level that helped the Canes reach their first national championship game in over two decades.
The Canes will hear at least two starters hear their name called in the first round, with Francis Mauigoa and Rueben Bain, Jr. being first round locks. A third is in the mix to go in the first round as well in edge rusher Akheem Mesidor. The second and third rounds could also see more players getting plucked, including CB Keione Scott and perhaps even QB Carson Beck.
However, there are a number of other starters who played a key role in the Canes’ run to the College Football Playoff national championship game who aren’t getting as much run, and that includes LT Markel Bell. And at least one writer and ACC coach sees him as being worthy of a lot more praise.
ESPN college football writer Adam Rittenburg put out a list of 2026 NFL Draft sleepers, and he listed Bell, along with a quote from a coach who underestimated the big lineman’s size.
Miami Hurricanes OT Markel Bell among ESPN list of 2026 NFL Draft sleepers
“Bell is a giant of a man, measuring 6-foot-9 and 346 pounds with an arm length of more than 36 inches,” Rittenberg wrote. “He clocked a 5.36 in the 40-yard dash and had a 10-yard split of 1.84 seconds. Bell was part of a Miami offensive line — featuring likely top-10 pick Francis Mauigoa — that made the Joe Moore Award midseason honor roll in both years he suited up for the Hurricanes.
“‘He does not impress you on film because he looks like he can’t move, but you can’t get around him’, Rittenberg quotes an ACC coach as saying. ‘In-game, he was really good. On film, I thought we were going to beat that guy a lot, and we didn’t. He’s a massive human.’”
In the right system, i.e., not a lateral zone blocking scheme, Bell could fit like a glove. His physical measurements are elite for the position, and he made the most at them at the college level, particularly in pass protection, where he didn’t allow a sack in 2025 in 558 pass blocking snaps.
If Bell can land in the right system and get proper coaching to maximize his physical skills by refining his technique, then Bell should find himself on an NFL roster for years to come.