Auburn pushing for commitment for JUCO Offensive Tackle
Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers have offered JUCO OT Markel Bell.
Auburn has two glaring positions of need along the trenches going into the 2023 season, the offensive line and JACK linebacker. They have signed five offensive linemen from the high school and JUCO ranks in the 2023 class and brought in three during the winter portal period.
The latest move regarding the trenches is that Auburn has set its sights on JUCO OT Markel Bell. The Cleveland, Mississippi native went to Holmes CC out of high school and showed out during his freshman season, earning an honorable mention on the All-MACCC list in 2022.
Bell has been receiving several offers over the past few months, most notably from Auburn, Mississippi State, and Southern Miss. He also has received offers from Jackson State, Old Dominion, and Texas State.
Bell is listed at 6-foot-9, 350 pounds according to the Holmes CC official roster. That frame combined with an aggressive play style is what has attracted former Auburn OL Coach Will Friend who is currently at Mississippi State, and current Auburn OL Coach Jake Thornton. The sky could be the limit for the Mississippi native.
Auburn offered on April, 28th and has put the pressure on Bell, according to On3's Auburn Live, and wants Bell to make a decision and if that were to be Auburn to have him on campus by the end of the month. Bell would be not only on the roster for fall camp if he were to enroll in May, but would also be ready to go for summer workouts which could help Bell who hasn't touched a D1 weight room or conditioning program.
The potential addition of Bell would make it nine offensive linemen that Hugh Freeze and staff have signed since November. The Tigers have only lost two linemen since then as well, Keiondre Jones and Colby Smith, meaning the attrition at the position is negligible to the total OL depth chart as they have added so many. Besides Bell, Jaden Muskrat could be another name the Tigers could add along the offensive line.
Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!
