The Philadelphia Eagles entered the 2026 NFL Draft knowing that they would need a long-term answer at right tackle. Lane Johnson, one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL, is nearing the end of his career. They didn't take too long to find his successor.
Howie Roseman and the Eagles drafted Miami offensive tackle Markel Bell with the 68th pick in the draft. The hulking lineman is a raw prospect, but he'll have time to develop while waiting behind Johnson.
With the right coaching, he could become the natural replacement once the future hall-of-famer retires.
Eagles make Markel Bell their OT of the future in the NFL Draft
Few humans are built like Bell. He stands at a towering 6'9" and weighs in at 346 pounds. His 36-inch arms are just about long enough to block every opposing defensive lineman by himself.
He's a bit of a raw prospect. At his size and with his athleticism, he likely would have come off the board in the first round of the draft if he didn't have a few areas to grow. He sometimes struggles with speedy edge rushers if he can't get his hands on them quickly, and he can struggle with technical pass rush moves. But he moves well for a player of his size and shows enough tenacity as a blocker to hold up in the NFL.
As FanSided draft expert Levi Dombro said, "His high center of gravity naturally leads to him leaning forward at times, and he struggles against speed. But Bell is big and physical and showed lots of improvement in 2025, so it is intriguing to bank on that continued upward trajectory."
As Dombro mentions, Bell showed major improvement in his final season at Miami. He allowed three sacks in his first season as a starter in 2024. In 2025, he allowed zero. That's already an excellent trajectory.
Nobody in Philadelphia wants Johnson to retire. He's one of the greatest players in franchise history and has played a major role in the team's recent success. When he does choose to hang up the cleats, it'll be time to start the five-year countdown to his induction into the Hall of Fame.
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But the Eagles had to find a succession plan, and Bell fits the bill perfectly. Given time to develop and learn from Johnson, he could become one of the most physically imposing tackles in football.
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