As a second-round pick at No. 39 overall in the 2001 NFL Draft coming out of the University of Georgia, former Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker Kendrell Bell flew under the radar a bit.
Prior to his time at Georgia, Bell was a fullback in junior college before making the transition to linebacker with the Bulldogs, where his track background really stood out. But once he was in Pittsburgh, that transition to linebacker was complete and Bell quickly became one of the best in the game on the inside.
That 2001 season was legendary for Bell, who burst onto the scene, winning the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award for the Steelers, earning a second-team All-Pro accolade as well, holding down the middle for the Steelers, who made a run to the AFC Championship Game that season.