Chargers follow Antonio Gates trend, sign SEC basketball player to UDFA deal

Matthew Wadleigh

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Chargers follow Antonio Gates trend, sign SEC basketball player to UDFA deal image

The 2025 NFL Draft came and went with plenty of surprises, most notably being the fall of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. After the draft ended on Saturday, undrafted free agent deals were announced left and right all around the league. 

And, there was a major surprise from the Los Angeles Chargers. Jim Harbaugh's team signed a former Mississippi State basketball star to a deal. 

According to Jordan Schultz, Mississippi State hoops star Jimmy Bell Jr. signed a deal with the Chargers as an offensive tackle. 

 

Bell played two seasons at Saint Louis with the Billikens then one with West Virginia before playing the 2023-24 season with Mississippi State. He even spent time at Moberly Area Junior College, but now he is going from the hardwood to the football field. 

 

This might ring a bell for Chargers fans, too. Former tight end Antonio Gates - who is headed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame - played basketball at Kent State before making the transition to the NFL, and it worked out swimmingly for him. 

Does it happen with Bell? Only time will tell, but his 6-foot-9 frame and high-level athleticism make it a strong signing for LA. 

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Matthew Wadleigh

Matthew Wadleigh is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He was born and raised in Southern California and grew up a San Diego sports fan (yes, it’s tough, except for Aztecs hoops). Matthew went to Fresno State as a journalism major and got to see Davante Adams, Derek Carr, Paul George and Aaron Judge in person. Matthew has written for publications including ClutchPoints, Sportscasting, Fansided, Trojans Wire, UCLA Wire and Buffaloes Wire.