Joel Bell Class: Junior Hometown: Spartanburg, S.C. High School: Spartanburg Height / Weight: 6-7 / 316 Position: OT Experience: 2L

Furman: All-Southern Conference offensive tackle who returns for his second season of starting duty at left tackle...possesses considerable upside according to new Paladin offensive line coach Carroll McCray... ranks as one of the top athletes on the Paladin offensive front, sporting outstanding size and quick feet, which he uses effectively to gain leverage on defenders...at 6-foot-7 ranks as one of the tallest offensive lineman in Furman history...continued hard work and dedication may afford him the chance to play professionally....counting three seasons at Furman, has only played five seasons of organized football. 2006 -- Earned second team All-SoCon honors in balloting by league media after starting in all 12 games and earning winning grades in nine contests...paced all Paladin linemen with 70 knockdowns...graded out a season high 91.7 percent with nine knockdowns on another season high 84 snaps in a 28-22 overtime win over Chattanooga...strong work against Western Carolina helped pave the way for fullback Jerome Felton's SoCon record six rushing touchdowns versus the Catamounts...earned a mark of 91.4 percent on 35 snaps in a 42-7 blowout of Western Carolina...had a season best 10 knockdowns against Elon (24-13 win)...helped Furman go 8-4, earn a playoff berth, and finish ranked No. 12 in The Sports Network national poll...named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll. 2005 --Saw action in eight games at tackle...earned the first start of his career in the Paladins' 44-41 double overtime win over Hofstra after right tackle John Kivett was sidelined at the last minute with an allergic reaction to medication...stepped up to record 90 snaps and 12 knockdowns against the Pride en route to capturing SoCon Freshman-of-the-Week honors -- the first by a Paladin offensive lineman and only the second ever by a league offensive lineman. 2004 -- Awarded redshirt and extra year of eligibility...finished sixth in the discus event at the 2005 SoCon Track & Field Championships, helping Furman to a sixth place team finish.

High School: 2004 graduate of Spartanburg (4A Big 16) High School...football coach was Doc Davis...two-year starter who played both left and right offensive tackle during his tenure at Spartanburg, helping the Vikings post 8-5 record and advance to the second round of the state playoffs in 2002...team went 6-6 in 2003...earned all-region and all-area academic honors as a senior...also played basketball and competed in track and field at Spartanburg.

Personal: Full name is Joel Richard Bell...son of Richard and Beverly Bell...born July 29, 1985, in Cleveland, Ohio...has two sisters, Joanna and Deborah...parents became missionaries and family moved to Egypt in 1990 for three years...moved with family to Croatia in 1993, where he lived for eight years before returning to the United States alone in 2001...health & exercise science major.