Growing up in small-town Kansas, playing both sides of the ball came with the territory for Lincoln High School senior Benjamin Bell.
As of the 2020 census, less than 1,200 people lived in Lincoln. So not only does Bell play 8-on-8 rather than the traditional 11-on-11, but he primarily suits up at receiver and safety — and his recruiting stock is skyrocketing ahead of his final high school season.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Bell did it all for the Leopards last year, hauling in 43 catches for 783 yards and seven touchdowns in his junior season. He rushed for over 500 yards and four touchdowns on only 48 carries, an incredible 10.5 yards per attempt.
Defensively, Bell recorded seven interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Lincoln went 11-2 and reached the KSHSAA Class 8-Man Division I state championship game.
“I feel like my IQ has really shot up in the past year and a half,” Bell said.
Colleges are certainly paying attention, with NAIA Benedictine (Kan.) officially offering him a scholarship last week. He’s also received offers from Kansas Wesleyan, Hastings College (Neb.), and McPherson College (Kan.) since the start of March.
Benedictine is 42-10 since the start of 2022 and ended the last two seasons ranked No. 3 in the final NAIA Top 25.
“It’s definitely a rewarding feeling,” Bell told Legacy Library. “Knowing that all the work I put in is producing something and that it’s not just for nothing.”
Enjoying our content? Make sure to subscribe to Legacy Library to help us continue to support student-athletes nationwide.
Bell said he wants to play safety at the next level. He added that he’s become far more comfortable at the position since a scheme change going into his freshman year.
For now, he’ll continue lining up all over the field, and he’s ready to ensure colleges know that versatility is only part of his story.
“I have good character,” Bell said. “I feel like I’m a great teammate and a hard worker.”
Leave a Reply