April 27, 2008
LAS VEGAS - After more than a quarter century passed between selecting UNLV players in the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns made it two in two years as the AFC team chose linebacker Beau Bell with the fifth selection of the fourth round (104 overall) on Sunday.
The Browns made a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to move up and use what was their first pick overall in the draft to take the 2007 Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Last April, Cleveland drafted UNLV cornerback Eric Wright in the second round and the former Rebel DB ended up starting most of the season for head coach Romeo Crennel's squad.
The only other UNLV player that the Browns have ever drafted was defensive end Ron Crews in 1980.
"I am very happy to officially become part of the NFL and extremely excited about being a member of the Cleveland Browns," Bell said. "The fact that they made a trade to move up and take me shows they really wanted me and it sure feels great to be wanted. It's going to be fun to play with Eric Wright again too."
Bell (Tustin, CA/Tustin HS) is the third UNLV linebacker in the last four years to be drafted, joining a pair of fifth-rounders, Adam Seward and Ryan Claridge, in 2005. Bell becomes one of the highest Rebel draft picks in the last two decades, going only behind Wright (53rd overall) and defensive end Anton Palepoi, who went 60th in 2002 to the Seattle Seahawks. Bell was also the second player selected from a MWC team this year, following San Diego State quarterback Kevin O'Connell (94 overall to New England in the third round). Projected to play on the inside as a pro, Bell was the fifth ILB to be drafted overall.
Bell, who closed as his school's second-leading career tackler with 320, turned in a dominating senior season and became only the fourth Rebel player ever invited to play in the prestigious Senior Bowl, but was injured in practices for the event. He became the first player in MWC history to be named Defensive Player of the Week three times in one season in 2007 after leading the league with 126 tackles and five forced fumbles. He also posted 9.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and led his team in interceptions with four, including one he returned for a touchdown at Wyoming.
