Travis Bell Bio
Travis Bell (born October 27, 1998) is an American professional football nose tackle. He played college football for the Kennesaw State Owls and entered the National Football League when he was selected by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft. Since then he has spent time with multiple franchises, working primarily on practice squads while continuing to develop as an interior defensive lineman.
Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and listed at 141 kilograms during his pre-draft process, Bell has built his reputation on strength, leverage, and short-area quickness rather than ideal measurables. Although he was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, he impressed at his pro day with 30 bench press repetitions, a number that highlighted the upper-body power that defines his game.
Early Life and Background
Travis Bell was born on October 27, 1998, and grew up in Montgomery, Alabama. He attended Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, where he was a four-year letter winner in football. Across his four prep seasons, he posted 20.0 sacks and 229 tackles, including 80 tackles and 9.0 sacks in only eight games as a senior, production that helped Jefferson Davis reach the playoffs in his final two years.
Off the field, Bell carried a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in his final high school semester, reflecting a discipline that has continued into his professional career. Rated as a two-star recruit, he committed to play college football for the Kennesaw State Owls, choosing the program over other suitors and beginning a path that would eventually take him to the NFL.
Path to American Football
Bell saw immediate playing time at Kennesaw State and was a starter in his first season, compiling 24 tackles as a true freshman while helping the Owls reach the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The following season, he appeared in 13 games, eight of which he started, and helped Kennesaw State rank as the third-best team nationally in total defense, posting 30 tackles, 5.0 sacks, and 9.0 tackles-for-loss.
The 2020 season was postponed to the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in that shortened campaign he appeared in four games with 11 stops, two tackles-for-loss, and a half-sack. In 2021, Bell made 4.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles-for-loss, earning second-team All-Big South Conference honors. He returned for a final season in 2022, recording 34 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, and 1.5 sacks in 11 games, finishing his college career with 11 sacks and 24.5 tackles-for-loss in 54 games played.
Travis Bell Career
Early Career (2023)
Travis Bell was selected in the seventh round, 218th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, becoming the first player in Kennesaw State history to be selected in the NFL draft. He was waived on August 29, 2023, and re-signed to the Bears practice squad shortly afterward, where he continued his transition to the professional level.
On November 1, 2023, Bell was signed off the Bears practice squad by the Atlanta Falcons. He was released by Atlanta on December 19, 2023, and on the same day was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals, giving him a third team in his rookie season.
Cincinnati Bengals (2023–2024)
After joining the Cincinnati Bengals in mid-December 2023, Bell spent the remainder of that season with the organization. He was waived during final roster cuts on August 27, 2024, ending his tenure in Cincinnati. The stint gave him a full offseason inside an NFL program and an opportunity to refine his pass-rush technique against professional offensive linemen.
Chicago Bears Second Stint (2024)
On September 26, 2024, Bell signed with the Chicago Bears practice squad, returning to the franchise that originally drafted him. He was released on October 15, 2024, after less than a month back in the Bears system. Even in a short stay, the return demonstrated the organization’s continued interest in his nose tackle profile.
Minnesota Vikings Era (2024–2025)
On November 6, 2024, Bell was signed to the Minnesota Vikings practice squad, providing a stable home for the back half of the season. He signed a reserve and future contract with Minnesota on January 16, 2025, securing an invitation to the team’s offseason program. On August 24, 2025, Bell was waived by the Vikings as part of the team’s roster reductions.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bell plays a classic nose tackle role, relying on leverage, strong hands, and a low pad level to anchor against the run. His 30-rep bench press performance at his Kennesaw State pro day underscored the upper-body strength that allows him to control blockers at the point of attack, while his college production in tackles-for-loss pointed to the quickness and motor that translate to disruption in the backfield.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bell’s most notable milestone came in April 2023, when he became the first player in Kennesaw State history to be selected in an NFL draft. He also earned second-team All-Big South Conference recognition in 2021 and was part of a Kennesaw State defense that ranked third nationally in total defense during the 2019 season.
Travis Bell Career Wins
Travis Bell has not been credited with individual regular-season win totals in the public record at the major professional level. His professional career has been measured more in roster moves, practice-squad contributions, and offseason development than in headline statistics, reflecting the journeyman path that many late-round nose tackles follow early in their careers.
College Highlights
Bell finished his Kennesaw State career with 11 sacks and 24.5 tackles-for-loss across 54 games played, including a 2021 season that earned him second-team All-Big South Conference honors. He was a starter from his first college season and helped the Owls reach the FCS playoffs as a true freshman in 2018.
Other Performances
At Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, Bell produced 20.0 sacks and 229 tackles across four varsity seasons, including 80 tackles and 9.0 sacks in only eight games as a senior, numbers that helped lead the Volunteers to the playoffs in his final two years.
Travis Bell Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Travis Bell’s immediate family is limited. He grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and attended Jefferson Davis High School, but specific details about his parents or siblings have not been widely reported in verified sources.
Personal Life
Bell has kept much of his personal life private and has not publicly shared details about a spouse or children. His social media presence, including an account on X at travisb_98, has focused primarily on his training and professional football career rather than family matters.
2025 Season Performance
Travis Bell signed a reserve and future contract with the Minnesota Vikings on January 16, 2025, giving him a full offseason in the organization and a chance to compete for a roster spot. He participated in the Vikings’ spring and summer programs as he worked to add depth to a defensive line that values run-stuffing interior players.
On August 24, 2025, Bell was waived by the Vikings as part of the team’s roster reductions, ending his tenure in Minnesota for the immediate season. Even after the release, his practice-squad experience and college production kept him in position to be evaluated by teams in need of nose tackle depth.
Looking ahead, Bell remains an active professional with multiple seasons of NFL-level experience across four franchises. His combination of bench-press strength, leverage-based technique, and consistent college production suggests he will continue to draw interest from teams seeking interior defensive line help on practice squads and reserve contracts.