PHILADELPHIA — Have the Eagles found an alien? Left tackle Jordan Mailata thinks rookie offensive tackle Markel Bell might be one.
“When we found him, they said they found him out of Miami University. That’s a lie. He’s not of this planet,” Mailata said on Tuesday.
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Of course, Mailata is joking.
Bell, who was drafted by the Eagles in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, was born and raised in Cleveland, Mississippi. He played college football at Miami.
Mailata meant that Bell is not an ordinary human. He’s 6-foot-9, 346 pounds, and moves extremely well for his size.
“He’s a big fella,” Mailata said. “He’s doing well, very well.”
With Eagles’ right tackle Lane Johnson sitting out organized team activities, Bell lined up as the team’s starting right tackle in practice over the past two weeks.
During the season, Bell will serve as Johnson’s backup, but he could become Philadelphia’s starting right tackle in 2027 or 2028, with Johnson expected to retire sometime in the next few years.
“He has that pro attitude right now, even in the off-the-field stuff, in the classroom, but also in the gym,” Mailata said. “Just the way he goes about his business, he attacks everything. Doesn’t take anything personal. For a rookie, he has a very professional attitude. He’s like a veteran so far.”
Bell played well last year in his only season as a starting tackle at Miami. His solid performance and unique physical traits got him drafted on Day 2.
“It is strange. I feel very small standing next to Kel,” said Mailata, who is 6-foot-8 and weighs 365 pounds.
Bell said he watched film of Johnson and Mailata during college to improve certain areas of his craft. He is always standing next to Mailata at practice, trying to learn from him.
“I think the relationship so far has been great...,” Mailata said. “He knows that we’re here to help. Pretty honored that he’s watching us.”
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