Posted on 4/22/2008 6:04:44 PM

NFL Football Betting – Draft Player Spotlight

By Brian Vornberg

Beau Bell - LB, UNLV

With the NFL draft fast approaching, and NFL draft betting props heating up, it’s always fun to dig a little deeper and evaluate some of the prospects that your average fan doesn’t even know exists. With this in mind, let’s take a more in-depth look at UNLV’s outstanding middle linebacker prospect Beau Bell.

First, there are the numbers. Everyone knows that these don’t always matter when it comes to simply getting on the football field and getting things done, but they are important still. Bell performed well at the NFL combine, posting great size at 6'1" and 244 lbs. He also showed brute strength by putting up 25 bench reps. Bell did not show quite the athleticism teams might have been hoping for as he only posted a 28.5" vertical leap and just a 4.9-second 40-yard dash, however, his 10-yard dash was quick at 1.72 seconds showing that he has tremendous acceleration which is more important at the linebacker position.

With 320 tackles over his career as a Rebel, Bell’s production matches his on-field intensity and non-stop motor. He already has NFL size and is a strong, powerful player in the middle. Bell may have been a little slower than expected at his off-season workouts, however, his upside is huge and he has great initial quickness which is very important at his position. Most importantly of all, he is all over the field all of the time and consistently makes plays. He excels in run coverage and is still improving vastly in pass coverage. He is versatile, and most importantly, he has no red flags or off-field issues which teams will be scrutinizing harder than ever this year.

Where he might go:

If Bell is still around in the 4th round, which he likely will not be, the Browns will almost assuredly snap him up. They had him in for a private workout recently and really love his style of play. The Detroit Lions are in some need of a middle linebacker to help out Ernie Sims and Teddy Lehman. They also have two 3rd round picks, so it’s a possibility that he could end up there. Other teams in need of inside linebackers are the Dolphins, Patriots, and 49ers.

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