Oakland Raiders superlatives for the 2019 NFL Draft class
By Justin Fried
Biggest Project: Quinton Bell, DE (Prairie View A&M)
Quinton Bell is the perfect definition of a project player.
A converted wide receiver from FCS university Prairie View A&M, Bell has little experience playing as an edge rusher and is nowhere near ready to suit up for NFL action. At just around 230 pounds, Bell absolutely must bulk up more before he could be relied upon to play as a 4-3 defensive end or even take the field for an NFL defense.
That said, what Bell does bring to the table is immense, raw athleticism.
Bell truly is a freak of nature having run a blazing 4.38 40-yard dash at his pro day. He paired that impressive feat with 23 reps on the bench press and an outstanding 41.5-inch vertical jump.
Those aren’t just admirable numbers, they’re unheard of for a player at his position.
At this stage, Bell is just a raw athlete and little more. After all, he still needs plenty of refinement from a technical aspect having converted from a wide receiver just prior to last season. Still, there’s reason to be intrigued and even more of a reason to tune in and watch the development hopefully unfold.
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Not only is Bell the biggest project in the Raiders 2019 draft class, but you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who fits this mold better than him in the entire draft. Scratch that, good look finding a bigger project in the entire league.
The transition is going to be difficult, but Bell is a player who was well worth the risk.