Pass rush monster Ben Bell receives offer from Minnesota

After missing out on Maurice Westmorland in the transfer portal, the Gophers football team is looking to secure a commitment from Texas State edge rusher Ben Bell.

Westmorland committed to Tulane earlier this week, and the Gophers have responded by offering Bell, who is a 6-foot-2, 250-pound defensive end/outside linebacker who has generated 76 quarterback pressures in the last two seasons.

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Bell has also received offers from Ole Miss, Missouri and Baylor.

This past season, Bell played in only four games and had 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He elected to redshirt the remainder of the season in order to play another year of college football, and it's evident now that he was planning to spend his final year at a different school following three years at Texas State.

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In 2023, Bell was a monster, piling up 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss en route to being named to the All-Sun Belt Conference second team.

According to Pro Football Focus, Bell ranked 17th nationally in 2023 with 53 pressures, and he led the nation in pass-rush win rate at 29.8%. That bested UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who was the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL draft, and Gophers star Jah Joyner, who ranked fourth nationally in 2023 with a pass-rush win rate of 23.1%.

Bell had 23 pressures and a 29.5% pass-rush win rate before deciding to redshirt after four games.

Whether Bell's pass-rush prowess will translate to stiffer competition in the Big Ten is a mystery, but we'll get that answer in due time if he commits to Minnesota.

Bell has one year of college eligibility remaining.