When the Philadelphia Eagles selected Markel Bell with the 68th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they weren’t drafting a player they needed to start tomorrow. They were drafting a player they hope will start for many seasons, but his impressive traits could accelerate his path to the field as a potential spot starter as a rookie.
This is the Eagles’ formula under Howie Roseman: find elite traits, trust the coaching staff, develop the player behind their elite veterans, and watch the investment pay off.
Bell has an opportunity to be the latest example.
At 6-foot-9 and 346 pounds, Bell is a large offensive lineman. His combination of size and length immediately jumps off the screen.
The former Miami Hurricanes tackle isn’t just big. He moves remarkably well for a man his size.
At the NFL Combine, evaluators praised Bell’s movement skills and ability to control his massive frame. Jordan Mailata concurs.
“I don’t know where we found him. They said they found him out of Miami. That’s a lie. He’s not of this planet.”
Eagles OL Coach Chris Kuper also discussed his unique body type.
“He’s got a unique opportunity with his height and size, learning from a bunch of other guys that have similar height and size. You don’t find that in the league. We got 4 or 5 of those guys that are just mutants, to be honest.”
Another reason Bell was especially attractive to the Eagles was his pass protection.
During the 2025 season at Miami, Bell allowed zero sacks across 558 pass-blocking snaps. Multiple draft evaluations highlighted his ability to use his enormous wingspan and length to engulf pass rushers before they could gain leverage around the edge.
That’s exactly the type of foundation the Eagles look for in developmental offensive linemen.
Because of his height, Bell naturally plays with a high pad level, and his challenge will be losing leverage against defenders who will try to win the battle by getting underneath him and creating problems, particularly in the run game. His ability to combat that in the NFL, as he did in college, will be the key to his success.
His technique remains a work in progress, as it is for most every draft selection. His footwork and flexibility still need refinement.
Fortunately for Bell, there may not be a better situation in football for a developmental tackle.
He arrives in Philadelphia behind future Hall of Famer Lane Johnson, giving him the luxury of learning rather than being forced into a starting role immediately.
That matters.
The Eagles have consistently turned raw prospects into productive NFL linemen. They have built one of the league’s premier offensive line pipelines by prioritizing traits such as athleticism and coachability. Bell checks every one of those boxes.
In many ways, Bell represents a classic Eagles draft pick. He wasn’t selected because of what he is today. He was selected because of what he could become.
The upside is obvious. A tackle standing 6-foot-9 with elite length, impressive athletic ability, and proven pass-protection production is not something teams find in the third round too often.
Several evaluators believe Bell possesses long-term starter potential if his technical development catches up to his physical gifts.
The Eagles are betting that it will.
Bell may spend most of his rookie season learning, developing, and polishing his game. That’s perfectly fine. Philadelphia doesn’t need him to be a savior for the offensive line in 2026.
What they need is for him to become the next success story. Sure, Stoutland is no longer here, but the Eagles are gambling on Chris Kuper and the coaching staff to put up similar results.
If that happens, the Eagles will have found their long-term successor at RT to Lane Johnson.
For a franchise that builds its identity in the trenches, Markel Bell is one of the most intriguing members of the entire 2026 draft class.
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