It has been a long road, but Markel Bell has reached the Power Five ranks.
The top 25 JUCO prospect and fourth-ranked offensive tackle committed to Miami on Friday evening, choosing the Hurricanes over Arkansas, Auburn, Louisville, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Purdue, and more.
Bell, a 6'9" 340-pound offensive tackle, was a big target for head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal since the summer. The massive offensive lineman bursted on the scene in 2023 and quickly became a target for top programs.
"I had mostly JUCO offers," said Bell of his recruitment coming out of high school. "I had some HBCU offers. I just felt like I could do better than what I had. I felt like I was a 'Power Five' player."
Power Five, he is. Bell voluntarily returned to Holmes Community College this season to boost his stock and polish his game. It has been a process for the JUCO product, trimming his body from nearly 380 pounds to his now 340-pound size. Bell says his goal is to cut to about 320 before he enrolls.
Miami's two offensive line developers have let Bell know he is a potential plug-and-play type player. Despite his quiet recruiting background, Miami had eyes on the massive bookend for some time.
"I didn't expect that offer. I was just excited to get that opportunity. They followed me before I played this season, and they've always had an eye on me. This season, I really improved, and they finally pulled the trigger."
That potential mentorship for Bell played a huge factor in him ultimately choosing Miami. He visited last weekend, and their impression of him made a huge difference.
"The biggest part for me is getting me in the program and developing me to that next level. I've been watching them [Cristobal and Mirabal] since Oregon, and I know they can help me do just that."
Bell joins a top 12 class for Miami with 25 recruits, including five on the offensive line - a repeat of the total in 2023. He likely becomes the final piece Miami adds to the offensive line, joining Deryc Plazz, Kavion Broussard, Juan Minaya, and Nino Francavilla.
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