Bears News: Travis Bell wants to prove Poles made the right pick |
With their first pick in the seventh round of the NFL draft, the Chicago Bears selected defensive tackle Travis Bell out of Kennesaw State. But this pick was not just another defensive lineman being taken off the board; it was the first time a player from Kennesaw State has ever been drafted, something that did not go unnoticed by Bell.
“It means a lot to me," Bell told the media. "That’s everything you can ask for for a guy like me, man. That was most definitely a part of the goal, but I just wanted the opportunity however it came,” Bell said. “It means the world, man. Y’all (have) seen what school I came from. I worked my tail off to just get the opportunity to just get a chance to, you know, just be in the mix. So, it means a lot to me, man. I just plan on taking advantage of this opportunity.” The Bears see Bell as a nose tackle, an interior lineman playing in the inside in the three-technique. Some of the values that he is bringing to the table is his explosiveness, his ability to penetrate, and his ability to attack the run. Chicago saw these attributes in him when other schools perhaps were not giving him this same attention. “I’m self-driven, man. I’m a nasty guy. I’m a hard worker. The work ethic is out of the roof. I’m a physical guy. (At the) point of attack, I’m physical, and I got a motor. Y’all should expect to see me running from sideline to sideline,” Bell said. “I got a lot of love from the Bears. Regarding the pre-draft process, I was really, you know, I was really, I was worried, man. I was just worried about just getting the opportunity just (to) come in and go against those top-caliber guys so I can prove myself. And now that I got an opportunity, man, there’s just no words. Not any more worrying going on around here.” Coming from a school like Kennesaw State, where no one had ever been drafted before when it was getting late in the seventh round, Bell was getting a bit nervous about his draft chances. In fact, he was beginning to worry about getting called as a priority-free agent after the draft. That is part of what made the call from Chicago such a relief. “Honestly, it got to the point, man, where just the film sessions after the game, I was getting excluded because it was a high standard for me. My coaches and I and my teammates felt like everything I was supposed to be doing, I was doing. So when I got that Cincinnati game and I was able to, you know, get a high-caliber team under my belt, it made me, like, realize that I can most definitely do something at the next level,” Bell said. “I was surprised because things started looking kind of ugly toward the end. I was just worried about getting a call after the draft, honestly. So once I got that call, man, I was excited, man. I couldn’t hold it back.” Now that he’s been drafted, Bell still has a lot to prove to maintain a spot on the roster for this upcoming season. General manager Ryan Poles is the one that gave him the call, and Bell wants to show Poles he made the right decision with his draft choice. “I just want to show him that he made the right decision, man,” Bell said. “I plan on showing my physicality, my athleticism, you know, my leadership skills. I plan on showing him that overall, he made a good pick, man.” Saved by the Bell 🔔 Travis Bell is a DT prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 8.22 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 281 out of 1570 DT from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/pwPf9KUOIE #RAS pic.twitter.com/fVjOXMiXjm Travis Bell Kennesaw state Alum, NFl Hopeful!!! Really getting active!!! pic.twitter.com/HjhACq6sam
Welcome to Chicago, @travisb_98! pic.twitter.com/n627H6LwLc
