TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It was approximately two weeks before national signing day in 2015 and Christian Bell suddenly had a major decision to make.
He had been committed to the University of Alabama for more than a year, and the defensive end at nearby Hoover High School who projected to play linebacker at the next level was asked if he would grayshirt the 2015 season, meaning he would delay his enrollment six months.
"My initial reaction, I was like, there's no way I was going to accept that," Bell said. "But then I sat down, prayed, talked to family members, coaches, people that helped me with my decision.