Jaheim Bell opens up on his transition to Florida State from South Carolina

Jaheim Bell feels comfortable as he prepares to enter his first season at Florida State. After transferring from South Carolina this offseason, the tight end is expected slide into a starting role with the Seminoles.

Bell knows that developing chemistry with his new teammates will be crucial to finding success in Tallahassee. Thankfully, he’s already gotten off to a good start with the time he put in during the spring and summer.

“Honestly, it doesn’t even feel that long. Since I’ve been here, it’s just been great,” Bell said. “Everybody welcomed me. I gained new teammates, new friends. I’m getting to learn the coaches more. I’m getting to learn my position group better and how those guys guys operate. It’s been great.”

Standing 6-foot-3 and 239 pounds, Bell is an interesting player because of the way he was used this past season at South Carolina. Not only did he take on pass-catching duties, but he also saw reps in the running game to finish with 73 carried for 261 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

As he moves to Florida State, it’s natural to wonder whether the Seminoles plan to use Bell in the same way. According to him, they will.

“It’s all the same,” he said. “Everything that I’ve been doing my previous year, it’s still the same. It’s just different plays, different names.”

Bell also showed skill as a pass catcher with 55 receptions for 728 yards and seven touchdowns over the past couple of seasons. He figures to also be a weapon for quarterback Jordan Travis along with Johnny Wilson and fellow transfer receiver Keon Coleman.

Coming off of a 10-3 season, Florida State has high expectations and Bell will certainly play a large role in helping it reach them. The Seminoles kick off the 2023 season on Sept. 3 with a big-time matchup against LSU.

Mike Norvell explains ‘getting the right guys’ from the portal

Bell comes in as one of the top transfers in the country, ranking No. 18 overall and as the No. 1 according to On3’s Transfer Portal Rankings. He isn’t the only one expected to step in and provide an immediate impact for Florida State in 2023, however.

Florida State has the ninth-ranked transfer class in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Team Transfer Portal Rankings. In that class, the Seminoles have brought in several key players who are starting to stand out to coach Mike Norvell, including Bell.

“I mean, you look at Braden Fiske, is a guy I think has a chance to be a dynamic player for us. Jaheim Bell coming in from South Carolina. Jeremiah Byers. You know, Casey Roddick is one of those guys, he was a multi-year starter, a team captain. He’s come in and he wants to use that leadership, build those relationships.

“All these guys want to make the most of their time at Florida State. Making a difference on the field, but also making a great difference and building those relationships in the locker room, and that’s what makes these guys truly who they are and it’s why you’ve seen our program continue to grow.”