Taft Star Breaking Through
Junior to Watch: Ian Bell
School: Woodland Hills (Calif.) Taft
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Position: Running Back/Defensive Back
Size and Speed: Bell stands 5-foot-10 weighs in at 182 pounds and runs the forty 4.4. He has a good bench of 250-pounds and squats 400. Bell also participates in track and runs the 100-meter in 10.6.
Honors: Bell played on a team that was loaded with senior talent so most of the honors went to upper classmen. Bell is a talent who will get his share of post-season nods with a solid senior season.
Statistics: Bell rushed for over 800 yards and scored 14 touchdowns for a team that was loaded at wide receiver. Three wider receivers from Taft signed D-I scholarships to go with a D-I signee at quarterback.
Favorite Colleges: Bell is being recruited by the whole Pac10 and by the likes of Syracuse, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas and Texas A&M. Bell as an early top five of Oregon, Colorado, Texas, Arizona and USC. Oregon and Colorado are a little ahead of the pack.
“I would love to join my friend Lance (Broadus) at Oregon,” Bell said. “Cal said to me Cary Dove, Noah Smith and Ian Bell sounds good together doesn’t it.”
Taft teammates Cary Dove and Noah Smith both signed with Cal were Bell’s teammates at Taft last season.
Skinny: Bell has great vision and he has been told that he reminds people of USC sophomore running back Herschel Dennis. When Bell has the football he runs with a sense of urgency.
Bell has break away speed and has the potential to score from anywhere on the field.
What is Bell looking for in school?
“Academics will be very important,” Bell said. “Athletically I want to play for a team that has been playing good.”
“I’m very open regarding school,” Bell said. “I just want to play.”