UPDATE:
Vonn Bell was drafted at the end of the second round by the New Orleans Saints. Read the story here.
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Former Ridgeland High School star Vonn Bell could be one of the highest picks from the Chattanooga area in NFL draft history. Here’s a list of some of the previous early-round choices:› Reggie White, DL (Howard, University of Tennessee) Eagles selected him fourth overall in 1984 supplemental draft.› Reggie Mathis, LB (Notre Dame, University of Oklahoma) Saints drafted him in second round (No. 38 overall) in 1979.› Josh Bullocks, DB (Hixson, University of Nebraska) Saints drafted him in second round (No. 40 overall) in 2005.› Daniel Bullocks, DB (Hixson, University of Nebraska) Lions drafted him in second round (No. 40 overall) in 2006.› Eddie Moore, LB (South Pittsburg, University of Tennessee) Dolphins drafted him in second round (No. 49 overall) in 2003.› Donnie Elder, DB (Brainerd, Memphis State) Jets drafted him in third round (No. 67 overall) in 1985.› Eric Westmoreland, LB (Marion County, University of Tennessee) Jaguars drafted him in third round (No. 73 overall) in 2001.
The uncertainty is nearly over, finally.
And that's just fine with Vonn Bell, who's tired of the suspense.
The former Ridgeland High School football star, who went on to help Ohio State claim a national championship in 2014 and earn All-America honors last season, will soon find out where his NFL career will begin. He could learn his future home as early as tonight, when the draft begins in Chicago.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety is projected by most draft experts to be selected in the first two rounds, which would make him one of the highest picks from the Chattanooga area in draft history.
"I'm anxious to get it over with, to be honest," Bell said Tuesday evening, between bites of lobster at a local Logan's Roadhouse restaurant. "I haven't had a break since our last game. Just grinding, working out, traveling and doing interviews - it's been a long process.
"It will be nice just knowing where my new city will be and the coaching staff that will surround me. I'm ready to get all that jump-started, to get back on the field and prove myself at the next level."
One of only three area players to earn a five-star rating as a high school prospect (along with former Red Bank running back Gerald Riggs and former Calhoun receiver Da'Rick Rogers), Bell put together an impressive résumé at Ohio State, where he ended his 42-game college career with 176 tackles, 22 passes defended and nine interceptions. During his sophomore season, when Ohio State won the national title, Bell put himself on an elite level by finishing with 92 total tackles, the most by a Buckeyes safety in 12 seasons, to go with six interceptions.
After another solid season as a junior, Bell participated in the scouting combine in late February, then visited with seven NFL teams for private workouts before joining several Ohio State teammates for the Buckeyes' pro day. At the latter event, representatives from all 32 teams watched him run a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and complete 16 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press.
Speaking to NFL Network reporters live during that workout, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer nodded toward the field and said, "That's Vonn Bell zero risk with him." Meyer added that Bell has cornerback skills but had to play safety for the Buckeyes, and draft analyst Todd McShay noted on ESPN that Bell "has the versatility" to play nickelback (fifth defensive back) or safety, depending on the defensive scheme.
"I like what I've done as far as the workouts and my interviews," Bell said. "I like where I'm at heading into the draft. The most intense thing you do at the combine are all the psychological tests. They had studied every snap I had ever played, and some of the scouts asked if I was lazy on run support because they found a play where I didn't run as hard. I told them that was just one play, and to look at my whole body of work. I don't lack for confidence. I know I'm a phenomenal tackler. They just wanted to see how I would react to criticism in front of the GM and all the coaches.
"One of the craziest things I was asked is if I'm a cat or a dog. I said I'm a dog because I'm savage on the field. Mostly I just tried to be myself and stay relaxed."
Even Bell's high school coach, Mark Mariakis, was questioned by nine teams as part of the evaluation process. That group included the Rams and Steelers, who sent staff members for personal visits.
"They already know about his athletic ability. They've studied plenty of film for that," Mariakis said. "What they wanted to know from me was how did Vonn carry himself at practice? Did he pout when coaches were critical, and how did he interact with teammates in the locker room and other students in the hallway?
"They were looking to get into his mindset, and it was very intensive. I just told them that I've seen so many people with the God-given talent to be special, and they just blew it. But I'm so proud of the way Vonn has taken his talent and progressed, not just as a player but how he carries himself as a young man."
Bell plans to spend today doing whatever he can to keep his mind preoccupied leading up to tonight's draft, and then until his phone finally rings and he's told which team will be calling his name. After tonight's first round, the second and third rounds are Friday, with the remainder of the draft Saturday.
Teams that have been most often linked to Bell by draft analysts include the Pittsburgh Steelers (who have the 25th and 58th overall picks in the first two rounds), Carolina Panthers (picks 30, 63), Atlanta Falcons (picks 17, 50), Oakland Raiders (picks 14, 44), Washington Redskins (picks 21, 53) and Tennessee Titans (six of the first 76 picks).
"One of my favorite things to do to get away from everything is to fish, so I'll probably go fishing during the day, and then I may not even watch the draft, honestly," said Bell, who has asked his agent to work with local outdoors businesses to plan a fishing tournament he would help sponsor.
"I may just chill at home mostly. I know I'll get drafted in the first two rounds, but I'm competitive and I want to go in the first round. That would mean a lot.
"But whoever takes me, whenever they take me, I'm sure it will be a speechless moment because it'll be a dream come true. I don't even know how I'll react yet, but I'm glad I'll be home with my family to share it."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.