From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling Florida State TE Jaheim Bell.
#6 JAHEIM BELL/TE FLORIDA STATE – 6020, 241 LBS. (R-JUNIOR)
Senior Bowl Participant
Combine Participant
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Jaheim Bell | 6020/241 | 10 | 33 | 78 3/4 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.61 | 1.58 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’4″ | 35.0 | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Solid athletic frame and good overall athletic ability
– Good burst and straight-line speed
– Solid play strength, able to shrug off contact with the ball in his hands
– Good YAC ability, good vision to find extra yards and avoid contact
– Willing blocker and improved his blocking abilities year over year in college
– Solid hands, good at securing the ball in traffic
THE BAD
– Short for the tight end position, better suited for h-back or fullback
– Stops his feet and limits his play strength as a blocker
– More of a long-strider, so he doesn’t naturally separate that well in his routes
– Didn’t run a very diverse route tree in college
– A couple of focus drops, gets caught looking for extra yards before securing the ball
BIO
– Originally a three-star prospect out of Valdosta HS in Lake City, Fla.
– 22 years old, will be 23 in June
– 19 starts in college, ten at South Carolina, and nine at FSU
– Lined up everywhere on offense, H-back, TE, RB, WR
– Played basketball and football in high school
– Torn ACL in his senior season of high school
– 95 receptions, 1,260 yards, 84 carries, 303 yards, 13 total touchdowns
– Named multiple times to the Academic Honor Roll in college
– Second-team All-ACC in 2023
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Bell may not have the size to be a tight end, but he does very well with routes that a running back, fullback or H-back might run in the NFL. Whether it is a quick-out in the flat, a swing, or a curl, he executes these routes well and catches the ball with his hands away from his frame. He is also capable of catching the ball in traffic and secures the ball well when being threatened by a defender closing in.
He is good with the ball in his hands and has good vision to find holes to run through. If he finds open field, he has good speed and can turn a short catch into a long gain.
One thing he will need to be good at to play H-back, TE, or fullback is chipping defenders before releasing into his route. He can get caught up chipping, but he also has a nice sense of when is the right time to release. In this first play of this clip, he blocks and turns his back to the defender to box him out so he could see the quarterback and release for a quick checkdown at the perfect time.
Perhaps most importantly, his blocking is actually pretty solid. He can pull across the line well, fits into his blocks nicely, and gives just enough of a pop to secure a rushing lane for the ball carriers behind him. He can also pick up blitzes as a pass protector in the backfield well. He will occasionally take a bad angle, like on the last play of this clip, and whip on blocks entirely. Overall, he got better as a blocker from 2022 to 2023.
CONCLUSION
Bell is one of the most versatile players in the draft, capable of playing all over an offense and capable of being used as a weapon in the passing game or as a blocker. He told me at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine that some teams have talked to him about playing fullback, which might be his best position if he is used creatively and allowed to play some H-back and TE as well. He tested well at the Combine and dazzled with an impressive one-handed catch along the sideline in one of his drills. In the right offense, he can turn into an impact player who wears many different hats. At the top end, he could become the next Kyle Juszyck or at least fill a similar role that he does with the San Francisco 49ers. The Steelers had a formal meeting with him in Indianapolis at the Combine, so he could be in play in the later rounds to fill that role in Arthur Smith’s offensive system.
Projection: Early-Mid Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.2 – Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: vs Georgia (2022), at Clemson (2023), vs Miami (2023), vs Duke (2023)
