By: Michael Goss
KANSAS CITY – Following a five-year career in the Black and Gold, Kennesaw State football defensive lineman Travis Bell became the first NFL Draft selection in school history.
With the first pick of the seventh round, the Chicago Bears chose the Montgomery, Ala. native.
Bell was the 218th overall selection and was drafted on day three of the event which took place at Union Station in Kansas City.
"I am incredibly excited for Travis and his family," said Kennesaw State head football coach Brian Bohannon. "He is a hard worker, a tremendous leader and is well deserving of this opportunity to play within the National Football League."
In March at Kennesaw State football's annual NFL Pro Day, Bell's athleticism impressed over 40 professional scouts. The 6'1, 305-pound defensive lineman put together 30 reps on the bench press which was the most of any participant at the event. He also ran a 5.01 40-yard dash and caught the scouts' attention when he tallied 32.5" on the vertical jump.
Bell played in 54 career games and tallied 124 total tackles (68 solo). The defensive lineman also registered 11 sacks, which ranks third in the KSU record book, and 24.5 tackles for loss, good for the fourth-most in program history. He was also named to the second team All-Big South Conference in 2021.
In his final season as an Owl, Bell set a career high with 34 total tackles. He added 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. On Nov. 12 versus Austin Peay, Bell blocked a field goal as the half expired for KSU's only blocked kick of the year.
During his time on the defensive line, Bell guided Kennesaw State to a top-20 finish in total defense in four-of-five seasons. In his sophomore campaign (2019), the Owls ended the year as the number three total defense in the country where Bell ranked second on KSU with 5.0 sacks. He also set a career high that season with 9.0 tackles for loss.
While Bell is the first Owl to be drafted by an NFL franchise, Kennesaw State has seen five previous players sign free agent deals to attend NFL minicamps. On December 12, 2020, defensive line standout Auzoyah Alufohai became the first KSU player to debut in an NFL game when he did so for the Houston Texans versus the Indianapolis Colts.
Season tickets are now available for the 2023 season. Click here to purchase yours today.
Season ticket holders receive discounted concessions, season long parking pass discounts, options to purchase additional game tickets at a discounted rate, first right of refusal for seats heading into Conference USA in 2024, plus other additional benefits.
Click here to view season ticket pricing and seating charts.
Season ticket renewals are available for the 2023 season by calling 470-578-OWLS or emailing Shawn Betz at sbetz1@kennesaw.edu.
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