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The Philadelphia Eagles selected Miami tackle Markel Bell with the 68th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
‘The Beast’ breakdown
A starter for one-and-a-half years at Miami, Bell lined up at left tackle in offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s balanced scheme. A juco transfer, he was primarily a rotational backup in 2024 before becoming an underappreciated part of the Hurricanes’ run to the 2025 national title game. He didn’t allow a sack as a senior (at 358 pounds) and got better throughout the season, logging 1,034 offensive snaps, fifth-most in the FBS in 2025.
Bell is a towering, top-heavy blocker who can engulf defenders with his initial movements and massive wingspan. His technical skill continues to mature with additional reps, although savvy rushers can attack his leverage and quickly force him into recovery mode. His average knee bend shows when trying to dig out defenders, but he has enough quickness to cover up in the run game.
Nick Baumgardner grades the pick
Grade: A-
One of the biggest humans in this draft at 6-9, 346 pounds. An extremely durable, tough football player with much better movement skills than a man his size should have. This is a tremendous fit for Philadelphia’s smashmouth attack. Maybe Eli Stowers won’t need to block after all.
How he fits
Markel is a football monster. He’s 6-9, 346 pounds. He has an 87 ⅛-inch wing span. He towers above defenders who, as Dane Brugler put it in The Beast, “require an Uber pickup to get around him.” There are enough traits there to see why the Eagles believe he can be an offensive tackle they can rely upon in the future. He only played one full season as an FBS starter, but a one-year tenure with a Miami team that reached the CFP title game is a fair amount of high-level competition for a prospect who spent his first two seasons at Holmes Community College. Markel is reliable (didn’t allow a sack in 2025) and durable (played the fifth-most snaps in the FBS). In terms of a third-round pick, the Eagles took a fair swing at someone who could become a potential successor for Lane Johnson, if not at the very least someone who can provide depth. How long of a runway will Markel need? — Eagles beat writer Brooks Kubena
Depth-chart impact
Markel joins a supporting cast for Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata that includes swing tackle Fred Johsnon, who re-signed on another one-year deal, and 2026 sixth-round picks Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams. The Eagles entered the offseason knowing they will eventually have to acquire a succession plan for Lane Johnson, who will turn 36 during his 14th season. How much longer will the five-time All-Pro continue to play remains uncertain. But Johnson missed seven games with a Lisfranc injury last season. The Eagles needed to identify a player for their short-term needs at the position, as well as their long-term needs. This gets them closer. — Kubena
They also could have picked …
The Eagles chose Bell over other offensive linemen such as Iowa’s Gennings Dunker, Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan and Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon. This was a fertile area to find an offensive lineman, and Bell was the one who stood out to the Eagles. They also could have pursued a potential starting safety such as LSU’s A.J. Haulcy and South Carolina’s Jalon Kilgore. But the alternative that cannot be ignored was a potential trade to accumulate more picks after trading two fourth-round picks and a third-round pick in deals for Makai Lemon and Jonathan Greenard. Picking Bell at No. 68 also trumped that option for Howie Roseman. — Eagles beat writer Zach Berman