Why Michigan State’s Malcolm Bell Has Shined This Season

Michigan State cornerback Malcolm Bell has played well despite the lost season.

Michigan State CB Malcolm Bell looks on during the Spartans' game against the USC Trojans on Sept. 20, 2025. | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Michigan State Spartans are wrapping up their 2025 football season, and fans are excited for the year to be over. 

What was once expected to be a year of growth under Jonathan Smith has become a nightmare, and Spartan fans’ preseason expectations have not been met. The Spartans will miss a bowl game for the fourth consecutive season. 

Whether Smith comes back next year or not, fans have become wildly disinterested in the football program. Athletic Director J Batt must invest money in the program so the team can land top talent, and fast. 

Despite the team sitting at 3-7 and 0-7 in the Big Ten, there have been a few bright spots in its performance. One of those bright spots is cornerback Malcolm Bell. 

Malcolm Bell's star season

Nov 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Malcolm Bell (14) commits a pass interference penalty against Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Lemeke Brockington (0) during overtime at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

A transfer from Connecticut, Bell has taken over as the team’s top defensive back and has been one of the best corners in the Big Ten. He has totaled 37 tackles, three for loss (a career-high), and five passes defended. 

He has also forced the third-highest incompletion rate in the Big Ten in coverage, per TruMedia.

While his stats don’t look like much on the surface, it’s the eye test that will show you how good a player he has been. According to Pro Football Focus, Bell has allowed just 15 receptions in coverage through 11 games. 

Opposing quarterbacks are struggling to complete passes when Bell is blanketing their receivers. The defense has not played well as a whole, but Bell is shutting down his side of the field and doing his part to get the ball back to the offense. 

Oct 18, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) runs with the ball against Michigan State Spartans defensive back Malcolm Bell (14) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

It is tough that the team has played so poorly this season, because if the Spartans had won a few more games, Bell may have put himself on more NFL Draft radars. 

That still might be the case for the true draft sickos still scouring the college football landscape for professional talent. Good players have been buried on bad teams and have thrived with late-round selections for as long as the draft has been around. 

Michigan State Director of Athletics J Batt watches a play against Western Michigan form the sideline during the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Friday, August 29, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bell is 6-foot-2 and 188 pounds, giving him solid height but a concerning weight for a professional cornerback. He is also not the fastest; NFL teams want cornerbacks with speed so they can stay downfield with receivers. 

Bell will not be selected on the first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft, but a good finish to the year may give him an outside chance of being selected late in the draft or being a high-priority undrafted free agent. 

It is unfortunate that Spartan fans won’t get to see Bell be impactful on a winning team, but he has given his all for this MSU squad, which is all anyone can ask of a player.

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