Markel Bell

[ScharfCane]

I’m a Steelers fan so I love the Villanueva comp.

My childhood friend was college roommates with him at West Point. He’s a good dude and I am a Ravens fan.

 

[dycane]

If you watch his first start then the Aggie game, you’d swear it was 2 different players. While has developed, Francis has played at an all American level. The value Francis has in the run game alone is understated.

I was trying to think of the last true blue chip 5* we signed who, like Francis, performed according to his grade in college, and then was drafted in first round. Kenny Phillips?

 

[SotaCanespiracy]

Then why isn’t 61 our LT? I bet Bell has a better pass pro grade, less pressure, less holds, less sacks that 61

We need a stat guy to bring the data. How do we find it.

This is a combination of Francis's freshman and Sophomore years. Francis has elite movement to power, very good feet, and is about as strong as they come. Remember bro this kid has started every game since he was fresh out oh High School.

What you're missing when you compare the two is one had been in college strength and conditioning for 2 years and the other 5. I understand Bell is a former Basketball player who had to go the juco route but Francis has **** near 40 college starts at this point versus Bell having 12 starts of good tape.

I guess my biggest disagreement is you imply Francis will have to moved to guard because he is not athletic enough. I love Bell but I guarantee he can't do this

 

[htownkidd]

I was trying to think of the last true blue chip 5* we signed who, like Francis, performed according to his grade in college, and then was drafted in first round. Kenny Phillips?

Yes.

 

[JHallCanes]

Then why isn’t 61 our LT? I bet Bell has a better pass pro grade, less pressure, less holds, less sacks that 61

We need a stat guy to bring the data. How do we find it.

They don’t view RT and LT like this anymore honestly

It used to be the LTs were the best ones. The highest paid etc

RT has become every bit a premium position as LT now though

Bell played LT last year as well and not a human on earth would say he was a better lineman than Mauigoa in 2024. Mauigoa was the only tackle that gave up 2 or less sacks/hits on 500 snaps last year

Bell just played his best game at the perfect time though so ultimately who cares

 

[Fawk_U Haters]

This is a combination of Francis's freshman and Sophomore years. Francis has elite movement to power, very good feet, and is about as strong as they come. Remember bro this kid has started every game since he was fresh out oh High School.

What you're missing when you compare the two is one had been in college strength and conditioning for 2 years and the other 5. I understand Bell is a former Basketball player who had to go the juco route but Francis has **** near 40 college starts at this point versus Bell having 12 starts of good tape.

I guess my biggest disagreement is you imply Francis will have to moved to guard because he is not athletic enough. I love Bell but I guarantee he can't do this

We can agree to disagree. I love 61 but on the edge he does struggle with good rushers. He might be great in shorts and has that cool video but like I said, we have stat guys in here and let’s see who has given up more pressures, sacks, and has more holds.

I may be wrong but let’s see what the data tells us. I’m all for being wrong and admitting it, but what does the stats and tape say?

 

[SotaCanespiracy]

We can agree to disagree. I love 61 but on the edge he does struggle with good rushers. He might be great in shorts and has that cool video but like I said, we have stat guys in here and let’s see who has given up more pressures, sacks, and has more holds.

I may be wrong but let’s see what the data tells us. I’m all for being wrong and admitting it, but what does the stats and tape say?

I think some of that the pressure he gives up has more to do with arm length and him being off balance sometimes because he relies on his strength too much.

I'm not even saying that I disagree that Bell may have more potential at tackle but you can't not say Bell has outplayed a three year starter who was a Freshmen All-american and current consensus All-American.

As for stats another point that I was making is that we have more Data points with Francis's 37 starts vs 21 Bell starts which gives a wider data set.

What I am really curious is to truly compare Francis to Penei Sewell. Everyone compares Francis to him because they are both big Samoan dudes but I have always wondered how accurate this is. Wish a O-line coach would really compare their college tape. Sewell is doing great at Right Tackle in the NFL

 

[Fawk_U Haters]

They don’t view RT and LT like this anymore honestly

It used to be the LTs were the best ones. The highest paid etc

RT has become every bit a premium position as LT now though

Bell played LT last year as well and not a human on earth would say he was a better lineman than Mauigoa in 2024. Mauigoa was the only tackle that gave up 2 or less sacks/hits on 500 snaps last year

Bell just played his best game at the perfect time though so ultimately who cares

Link to your stat u quoted please

 

[SotaCanespiracy]

We can agree to disagree. I love 61 but on the edge he does struggle with good rushers. He might be great in shorts and has that cool video but like I said, we have stat guys in here and let’s see who has given up more pressures, sacks, and has more holds.

I may be wrong but let’s see what the data tells us. I’m all for being wrong and admitting it, but what does the stats and tape say?

More analysis on Francis. He is definitely not in anyway overrated as a College Tackle. Cant say im huge into stats or metrics like some but I watch a lot of tape and this dude has been dominant particularly in the run game since coming in at 18.

The worse game I have seen him play was his freshman year against Clemson where Parker gave him a lot of trouble. He gave up a sack and had multiple holding penalties iirc.

 

[JHallCanes]

Link to your stat u quoted please

It’s from PFF+ which is premium but I found someone that summarized it. Best I can do at the moment

I think @Calinative has PFF+ access he posts from time to time

 

[flips]

Are right tackles gaining in value compared to left tackles?

Maybe, but it’s slow

www.hogshaven.com

Not sure how accurate this article still is since the cap #'s at the top end favor RTs for 2025 (assuming this other site accurate too)

2025 Right Tackle Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Ranking the top NFL 2025 Right Tackle contracts and salaries in the NFL

overthecap.com

2025 Left Tackle Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Ranking the top NFL 2025 Left Tackle contracts and salaries in the NFL

overthecap.com

 

[grover]

I was trying to think of the last true blue chip 5* we signed who, like Francis, performed according to his grade in college, and then was drafted in first round. Kenny Phillips?

2008 Draft ...................... 2026 Draft. 18 year gap. It was painful to be a Cane fan these past two decades lol.

Nearly every Tuesday for years now I've looked at how Canes perform in the NFL the previous week. We had this streak of 149 consecutive weeks where we had a Cane score a TD somewhere in the NFL. Almost a decade straight. Now with KJ gone, our only wide receivers in the NFL are Berrios and Dorsett with a combined 6 receptions between them, our only RBs in the NFL are Dallas and Homer with a combined 2 rushes for -2 yards between them. We have 4 TEs -- Njoku, Mallory, Jordan (IR since 2023) and Arroyo. But with both Njoku and Jordan constantly injured, and Mallory not having a reception, they combine for 48 receptions, 372 yards and 5 TDs total. Until Cam, we hadn't had a QB start in the NFL since Dorsey.

Anyone who wants to see our rise back to greatness, just go here: https://www.espn.com/nfl/college/_/letter/m. It's not always accurate (missing Jordan and Arroyo right now, for example). But it's generally a well maintained list to start from. Today, there are as many NFL players from Maryland as from Miami. It's a frickin tragedy. But starting with Cam, Elijah and Rivers (and Jaden Davis bless his heart!) this last draft, we're set to make another run.

 

[JHallCanes]

Are right tackles gaining in value compared to left tackles?

Maybe, but it’s slow

www.hogshaven.com

Not sure how accurate this article still is since the cap #'s at the top end favor RTs for 2025 (assuming this other site accurate too)

2025 Right Tackle Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Ranking the top NFL 2025 Right Tackle contracts and salaries in the NFL

overthecap.com

2025 Left Tackle Contracts and Salaries | Over The Cap

Ranking the top NFL 2025 Left Tackle contracts and salaries in the NFL

overthecap.com

Gets a bit skewed with some of the old timers like Trent Williams still around making mega money locked in at LT. If he was just coming into the league not sure it’s a lock he would be a LT or not

This is only familiar to me because I got humbled on this a couple years ago by a buddy of mine that coached OL in the pros

He was also the one that said Bell shouldn’t start in 2024 but watch out for him in 2025 (when we landed him in recruiting)

 

[SotaCanespiracy]

They don’t view RT and LT like this anymore honestly

It used to be the LTs were the best ones. The highest paid etc

RT has become every bit a premium position as LT now though

Bell played LT last year as well and not a human on earth would say he was a better lineman than Mauigoa in 2024. Mauigoa was the only tackle that gave up 2 or less sacks/hits on 500 snaps last year

Bell just played his best game at the perfect time though so ultimately who cares

Completely agree and your last point is the most relevant point. Bell just like Mark Fletcher just had his best game as a Hurricane. We should be celebrating that and talking about his play.

Not sure why we needed to make negative statements about Mauigoa being overrated and held in too high-esteem by the fans. That was odd timing....

 

[lurker]

I can dig this and get behind this line of reasoning, but people on here act like 61 is a sacred cow without flaws. Not the case imo

I love 61, I thank him and his fam for coming here and playing well. I just think he gets kicked inside at the next level where I think he with thrive too. To many people in their feelings when I have a different opinion

You're the only one in their feelings

 

[JHallCanes]

Completely agree and your last point is the most relevant point. Bell just like Mark Fletcher just had his best game as a Hurricane. We should be celebrating that and talking about his play.

Not sure why we needed to make negative statements about Mauigoa being overrated and held in too high-esteem by the fans. That was odd timing....

I guess when you’re winning playoff games and talking about our first round draft picks someone has to come along and claim fans are “blowing him”

PFF grades for OL are always a little goofy to me anyway but all you need to do is watch the A&M game and you don’t need to dig into stats too much

Two games in a row we faced two very very good defensive coaches that normally have very tough DL and we bullied them

 

[Fawk_U Haters]

I think some of that the pressure he gives up has more to do with arm length and him being off balance sometimes because he relies on his strength too much.

I'm not even saying that I disagree that Bell may have more potential at tackle but you can't not say Bell has outplayed a three year starter who was a Freshmen All-american and current consensus All-American.

As for stats another point that I was making is that we have more Data points with Francis's 37 starts 21 which gives a wider data set.

What I really curious is truly compares to Penei Sewell. Everyone compares Francis to him because they are both big Samoan dudes but I have always wondered how accurate this is. Wish a O-line coach would really compare their college tape. Sewell is doing great at Right Tackle in the NFL

Sewell is doing amazing at RT and if 61 ends up being that I will be first to eat those words but he struggles with speed and bends which most next level pass rushers have in droves.

It’s from PFF+ which is premium but I found someone that summarized it. Best I can do at the moment

I think @Calinative has PFF+ access he posts from time to time

View attachment 348559

fair nuff. I appreciate the literature and the correction

 

[Hufftwoseven]

Jesus is king

 

[Calinative]

It’s from PFF+ which is premium but I found someone that summarized it. Best I can do at the moment

I think @Calinative has PFF+ access he posts from time to time

View attachment 348559

Mauigoa 84.4 ovr, 78.9 run, 88.2 pass, 10 pressures, 5 hurries, 3 qbhits

Brockermeyer 70.6 ovr, 67.7 run, 83.9 pass, 10 pressures, 8 hurries, 2 QB hits

Bell 69.7 ovr, 62.9 run, 83.8 pass, 9 pressures, 8 hurries, 1 QB hit

Anez 68.9 ovr, 67.4 run, 76.8 pass, 8 pressures, 6 hurries, 2 QB hits

Mccoy 66.4 ovr, 69.6 run, 67.9 pass, 8 pressures, 2 hurries, 4 QB hits (485 snaps)

Okunlola 63.1 ovr, 66.4 run, 59.4 pass, 3 pressures, 2 hurries, 1 QB hit (392 snaps)

Post in thread 'Any chance next year' https://www.canesinsight.com/threads/any-chance-next-year.198750/post-7716823