Former ECU center Darius Bell, who was born in Canada, was chosen in the third round of Tuesday’s CFL draft.
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Photo credit: Darius Bell (ECU Sports Information)
Former East Carolina center Darius Bell was selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders as the No. 29 overall pick (third round) in the 2026 CFL Canadian League Draft on Tuesday night. With his selection, Bell is the second Pirate ever taken in the CFL Draft following Jordan Williams, who was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 by the B.C. Lions.
Bell is the second Pirate from the 2025 Go Bowling Military Bowl Championship team to be selected in a professional draft this year after Anthony Smith was selected by the Dallas Cowboys (seventh round) in the 2026 National Football League (NFL) Draft on Saturday, April 25. Three additional teammates have signed rookie mini camp invites in LB Samuel Dankah (Denver Broncos), LS Triston O’Brien (New Orleans Saints) and ATH Mike Wright Jr. (Seattle Seahawks).
Bell’s Bio Sketch
Career Notes: Earned four varsity letters (2/East Carolina, 2/Maine) … Played in 40 career games (22/East Carolina, 18/Maine) … Started 35 career games on the offensive line (19/East Carolina, 16/Maine) … Logged 2,420 career offensive snaps … Member of back-to-back Go Bowling Military Bowl Championships (2024 and 2025).
2025 (East Carolina): Started all 13 games at center for the Pirates earning second varsity letter … Two-time gameday captain (Campbell and Army) … Logged 968 snaps on the offensive line which was tied for a team-high with Kojo Poku … Helped provide running lanes for three 100-plus yard rushing efforts (London Montgomery 125/Tulsa, 103/Memphis; Marlon Gunn Jr. 130/Florida Atlantic) … Member of an offensive unit that averaged 449.0 yards of total offense per game (13th nationally) and 176.3 rushing yards per contest (45th nationally) … The Pirates offense also stood among the FBS leaders (Top 35) in 3rd down conversion percentage (16th/47.2), passing offense (19th/272.7 pg), first down offense (22nd/303), scoring offense (24th/32.7 pg), sacks allowed (25th/1.38 pg) and passing efficiency (35th/146.22) … Member of an offensive line unit that helped the Pirates register 500 or more total yards in a game four times (Campbell, Tulsa, Temple, Florida Atlantic) recording 614 at Temple … ECU rushed for 200 or more yards in a game on four occasions (Coastal Carolina, Tulsa, Temple and Florida Atlantic) with a season-high 358 at Temple … Four times the Pirates passed for 300-plus yards (NC State, Campbell, Tulsa and Memphis) with a season-high 383 at NC State in the season opener … Member of the Go Bowling Military Bowl Championship squad.