Michigan State Football: 25 best players of the Mark Dantonio era

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EAST LANSING, MI – AUGUST 31: Le’Veon Bell #24 of the Michigan State Spartans jumps over the attempted tackle of Jeremy Ioane #10 of the Boise State Broncos at Spartan Stadium on August, 2010 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

First-Team All-Big Ten (2012)
Semifinalist for Doak Walker Award (2012)
Honorable mention All-Big Ten (2011)
Sixth in MSU history in rushing touchdowns (33)
Seventh in MSU history in rushing yards (3,346)

Before he was dominating NFL defenses with his patient running style and shifty open-field moves, Le’Veon Bell was making college opponents look silly.

The rise to stardom for Bell was real, and almost sudden.

The former two-star was another one of those recruits who didn’t get much national love, but Mark Dantonio took a chance on him. He was a bigger back who was considered slow, but he contributed from day one. As a freshman, he rushed for 605 yards and eight touchdowns and then 948 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore, splitting time with Edwin Baker and Larry Caper.

With the backfield all to himself as a junior, he was given as many carries as his body could handle, and then some. He finished with 1,793 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning first-round draft pick consideration, but he was selected in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Bell finished his career as an All-Big Ten First-Team member and sixth in MSU history in rushing touchdowns with 33 and seventh in rushing yards with 3,346.

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