Taking a road far less traveled by NFL rookies, Levi Bell took his talents to the USFL before eventually joining the Seattle Seahawks prior to the start of training camp and so far, his decision has paid dividends as he pushes for a roster spot.
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00:00 that you've had a whirlwind experience here getting to Seattle.
00:03 First thing I'm gonna ask you, going undrafted,
00:06 were you surprised by that with the fact you were an all-conference player?
00:09 I know PFF had you as an all-American on 13.
00:12 Did that surprise you, the numbers you put up?
00:16 >> Honestly, I thought I was gonna at least be sixth or seventh round or
00:19 something.
00:20 But I don't know, I think it's probably because my
00:26 agent was displaying me as more of a fullback, and I didn't have film as that.
00:31 So, and I cut a bunch of weight to be more of a fullback,
00:34 cuz I was playing D tackle.
00:36 So that probably could have been why.
00:38 I don't know, I knew it was all in God's hands, but it was disappointing.
00:41 >> It didn't show in the athletic testing at all though with the stuff.
00:45 So I guess I was really surprised with the background you had.
00:49 And I'm trying to remember what showcase that you played in.
00:53 >> College Grand.
00:54 >> Yeah, I have some contacts that were there.
00:57 So when you get signed, I knew the name, I was familiar with it.
01:00 But I was just surprised that the Ravens signed you that quickly moved on.
01:03 And then you end up in the USFL, and this is the second incarnation of that league.
01:08 But how much has that helped you now coming into training camp when you get to
01:12 go against pros?
01:13 A lot of those guys have played in the NFL.
01:15 So how much did that help you get this opportunity to be prepared for?
01:18 >> It helped me a lot, honestly, cuz I went in and
01:22 after a couple games I was able to become a starter and play defensive end.
01:26 Staying at the end, so kind of what I'm doing right now.
01:29 And that was really one of my first times fully doing that.
01:32 Did a little bit in college, but no, yeah, there's a lot of guys that were really
01:37 six or seven guys, I mean, six or seven years being in the NFL.
01:41 And just rather than just got old and got cut or whatever reason,
01:45 there's just so much knowledge.
01:48 And so I just sucked all that in.
01:50 So now I feel even more prepared coming in here.
01:53 >> You didn't feel like you were going through a crash course coming in like
01:56 a lot of rookies do.
01:57 >> [LAUGH] >> It's just a very unique path.
01:59 But you didn't get a normal offseason though either.
02:02 You weren't in OTAs or anything.
02:05 You were out actually playing in games.
02:07 And a lot of people might look at it and think, man,
02:10 you're gonna be burned out going into the season cuz you just got done with another
02:13 one, but you've been able to hit the ground running here.
02:16 What's been the key in that regard?
02:18 And is that something maybe that's being overblown a little bit that you were
02:21 playing in those games, then you just go right into an NFL training camp?
02:25 >> I'll say, first off, I'm young.
02:27 >> [LAUGH] >> So that's different.
02:30 But I just take really good care of my body.
02:31 Always stretching, always taking good supplements, eating very healthy.
02:38 So yeah, I feel really fresh.
02:41 Even right now I feel fresh, and a lot of the guys are burnt out.
02:43 It's just really knowing what you need to eat.
02:47 I'm a personal trainer on the side, so I just pretty much train myself.
02:51 I'm like, all right, if I wanna be healthy, this is what I gotta eat, this,
02:54 this, this, and kind of just using my macros.
02:57 So just being really strict in a discipline with that.
03:00 >> You've got a unique background in that sense that can help you weather that
03:04 kind of a storm.
03:04 >> Yeah.
03:05 >> And you mentioned you had not exclusively played as this three,
03:09 four all fall linebacker.
03:10 You had some experience doing it, but you've moved all over the place.
03:13 >> Yeah. >> How much has the fact that you have
03:15 played all those different positions and you've moved all over the place,
03:18 you've been different sizes, you've been asked to do different stuff.
03:20 How much has that actually benefited you here, now being in a position where you
03:24 get to specialize with something with your athletic traits?
03:28 >> It's been a big advantage.
03:30 I'll say I'm a utility guy because of that, so
03:35 I'm able to play all special teams, the outside linebacker,
03:39 even some three tech pass rush, maybe some fullback to put me in.
03:44 So they're using me for everything.
03:45 But being able to play the outside linebacker position, this one's very
03:50 aggressive and just really good pad level, just being violent.
03:55 So I'll say I'm having all the backgrounds to know what the inside guys are doing,
04:00 what the linebackers are doing.
04:02 Cuz I played Mike in college too, middle linebacker a little bit, lots of-
04:05 >> You basically played everything except corner and safety.
04:08 >> Yeah, I played everything, so yeah, it's very helpful.
04:11 >> Yeah, you get the experience here.
04:14 Obviously, this coaching staff's got a lot of big names, like Pete Carroll and
04:17 Shane Walter and the staff.
04:19 But you've had Michael Bennett, you've had Cliff Averill,
04:22 you've got B.J. Jordan now coming in as a pass rush specialist.
04:25 What's that experience been like having all those different people that you can
04:30 learn from and pick their brain a little bit to help your game,
04:33 especially with this being your first year that you're playing that position?
04:36 >> Yeah, I mean, not gonna lie, when I saw them, I was like, whoa, this is crazy.
04:41 But they were with us for two weeks straight, and I was trying to get
04:46 extra work with them before practice and just picking their brain all the time.
04:52 So they taught me a lot, I learned a lot of valuable things.
04:56 So I would say it's really helped my game, I'll say that.
05:00 >> I wanna talk about your preseason opener, the first game with the Seahawks,
05:03 because it seemed like you were all over the place in that game.
05:06 I thought you should have had a second sack there, and I saw you waving to the ref.
05:10 I think I would have probably been doing the same thing.
05:12 What were your impressions of the way you played in that opener for
05:15 the Seahawks as far as positives and negatives?
05:18 >> It was my first NFL game, so it was a big shock.
05:24 My adrenaline was going through the roof, and my nerves are going crazy.
05:28 So when I first went in, I was just thinking a little bit too much.
05:33 And then eventually, after a couple plays, I started just getting in the zone.
05:39 And then I just felt like I belonged, everything just felt normal.
05:42 The game started slowing down.
05:44 And I think because of the USFL being like that, I was the leader on the team.
05:47 It's just that leadership started uprising in me, and I just started taking charge.
05:54 And it was the calm in the storm, and then I was able to just start making plays.
05:59 And I was just so thankful to be out there to play.
06:04 But I feel like there's just so much more potential I could bring.
06:08 I feel like it wasn't even my best game.