Blake Bell Enters 49ers’ Training Camp for Shot at NFL

Six Oklahoma Sooners were selected in the NFL Draft this past spring. One of those former Sooners hoping to extend their football careers with a place on an NFL 53-man roster is the player known to OU fans as the “Belldozer,” Blake Bell.

The 6-6, 250-pounder out of Wichita, Kan., began his college career as a quarterback. He had a good arm, and his size may him hard to bring down on running plays. In fact, for the first couple of years, Oklahoma used Bell fairly exclusively in short-yardage goal-line situations and on third or fourth down possessions with a yard or less left for a first down. That is how the “Belldozer” moniker came about.

Dec 6, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners tight end Blake Bell (10) catches the ball in front of Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Ryan Simmons (52) during the second quarter at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Bell started eight games at quarterback for the Sooners in 2013, his most productive collegiate season at the position. That year he completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,648 yards and 12 touchdowns, and also had 255 net rushing yards.

His senior season, however, with Trevor Knight coming off an MVP performance in an eye-popping Sugar Bowl win over Alabama and beginning a second season as the Sooners’ starter at QB, Bell made the decision to switch to the tight-end position, where he would be guaranteed more time on the field his senior season and put himself in a better position for a shot at a career in the NFL.

Bell says it was totally his decision to switch positions and no one else’s, and that ever since he made the choice, he hasn’t looked back.

As a tight end at OU last season, the Belldozer caught 16 passes for 214 yards and four touchdowns.

One scouting report on Bell as an NFL prospect lists him as a “former quarterback with a feel for space when running routes against the zone…a confident pass catcher with ability to run through safeties and maximize each catch.”

“He’s smart, he’s tough and he’s athletic, plus he has excellent hands and will work hard to continue improving.” —Bob Stoops on NFL prospect Blake Bell

So far so good for the Kansas-native-turned Sooner. Bell was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He is in his first full week of official fall training camp with the 49ers. We will follow his progress throughout preseason training camp.

“Blake has a big upside as he continues to learn the finer points of playing tight end,” said OU head coach Bob Stoops in an article published recently on the Sooners’ athletic website. “He’s smart, he’s tough and he’s athletic, plus he has excellent hands and will work hard to continue improving.”

Five other Sooners from last season are in NFL training camps right now, and we will be checking in on their progress.

Defensive lineman Jordan Phillips was a second-round pick of the Miami Dolphins; defensive end Geneo Grissom was taken in the third round, No. 97 overall, by the New England Patriots; offensive tackle Daryl Williams was the 102nd overall pick in the draft, selected in the fourth round by the Carolina Panthers; fellow offensive tackle Tyrus Thompson was picked in the sixth round by the Minnesota Vikings (where he will join former Sooner All-American Adrian Peterson), and fullback Aaron Ripkowski also was a sixth-round selection, taken by the Green Bay Packers.