FSU Football NFL Draft Preview: TE Jaheim Bell

Bell is undersized but his skill set and athleticism could be too much for someone to pass up as the draft progresses.

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida State tight end Jaheim Bell (TE03) talks to the media / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

We are two days away from the 2024 NFL Draft and as many as 13 former 'Noles have a chance to hear their name called throughout the weekend. What these articles will attempt to accomplish is catch you up on where each prospect is projected to go, which teams they've met with, measurables, and what scouts and executives have said about these players (if it's been made available). 

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Tight End Jaheim Bell started at South Carolina before being called up to the big leagues at Florida State for one season, hoping to see more production. He was used as a utility player in Columbia, getting carries out of the backfield like a running back and performing the normal duties of a tight end as well. He had more touches in 2022 at South Carolina with 73 carries and 25 receptions, but his receiving production this season at FSU in a more talented offense resulted in more receiving yards on 39 receptions (503) than he had total yards at SC (492).

Bell is an undersized tight end but has good top-end speed and is willing to be physical. With him, it's going to come down to the nuances of the position.

Measurements

Jaheim Bell measured into the NFL Combine at 6020 (6 feet, 2 inches) and 241 pounds, fairly undersized for most tight ends. He made up for that in the athletic testing, running a 4.61 40-yard dash, jumping 35 inches in the vertical and 10'4" in the broad. Despite his limited size, he still checked in with a good relative athletic score (RAS) of 8.45.

Visits and Meetings

Bell had a top-30 visit with the New England Patriots while also having formal meetings at the Combine with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks with a few other teams showing interest as well.

What the Scouts are Saying

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com: "Undersized as a tight end and lacking instincts as a lead blocker out of the backfield, Bell is a player without a clean positional fit after playing all over the field at South Carolina and Florida State. When Bell centers in and locks up, he can be an effective blocker, but he is wildly inconsistent when asked to make blocks on the move in space. He's tight-hipped, but he does have the speed to run the seams and is a talented runner after the catch. He might need to find a modified gadget role and really show out on special teams to make a squad."

Dane Brugler of The Athletic (paywall): "Overall, Bell isn’t a dynamic weapon, but he has pass-catching talent, and NFL teams will like his contact balance and competitive chops as a blocker, receiver and after the catch. A similar player to the Houston Texans’ Brevin Jordan, he can earn a No. 2 tight end role."

Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus: "Bell is a 'tweener' for the tight end position but brings
versatility as an offensive weapon with experience at inline tight end, wingback, running back and wide receiver. He has solid overall athleticism, with top speed and balance being his best traits. While his routes are good for a tight end, they are still rounded and don't create much separation against
single coverage. He is also still finding a feel for zone coverage, too often simply running his route instead of speeding up or slowing down for space. Bell brings nice pop at contact as a blocker but does not maintain blocks consistently."

Derrik Klassen of Bleacher Report: "Bell is an interesting idea for coaches who want an athletic H-back with receiving skills. However, it's hard to imagine Bell sticking as a starting tight end given his size and strength limitations."

Projected Draft Range

Bell is currently seen as a mid-Day 3 pick, so likely in the 5th or 6th rounds. Some teams could value his versatility more than others, as someone who can run out of the backfield, but he doesn't have the size a lot of teams would prefer for the position.

Here are the current draft selections in that range of the teams mentioned so far: Patriots (137, 180, and 193), Steelers (178 and 195), Texans (188 and 189), 49ers (176, 211, and 215), and Seahawks (179 and 192).

He'd be a lot of fun in San Francisco's offense. They already use Deebo Samuel in a hybrid role as someone who can run routes or get handoffs in the backfield, they have Juaun Jennings who they move between the slot and as a backup tight end at times, why not add someone as versatile as Bell?

Bell has also been compared to Houston's Brevin Jordan, so they could take another player in a similar mold and see what they can make him. I don't think the Patriots would have much use for him with Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper on the roster.

Prediction

I selfishly want to see him in San Francisco just for how they'd use him. Let's have him going there at pick 211 in the 6th round.

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