Anthony Bell was drafted No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1986 NFL Draft out of Michigan State. 102 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 28 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #5
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 1986
- NFL games
- 102
- Years as starter
- 4
- Career AV
- 2826th at Michigan State
The pick
How Anthony Bell came off the board in 1986.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
102 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 28 career approximate value
- Games played
- 102
- Seasons as a starter
- 4
- Career approximate value
- 2826th among Michigan State picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 2589% of career value
- Final season
- 19926 years after the draft
Around pick 5
Who came off the board on either side of Anthony Bell.
Purdue · 1× Pro Bowl
Alabama
Virginia
West Virginia
Michigan State in the 1986 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from Michigan State
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Michigan State · 1× All-Pro · 5× Pro Bowl
#3
Carl Banks
LB · NYG · 1984
Michigan State · 1× All-Pro · 1× Pro Bowl
#142
Ike Reese
LB · PHI · 1998
Michigan State · 1× Pro Bowl
#22
Rob Fredrickson
LB · LV · 1994
Michigan State
#37
Dixon Edwards
LB · DAL · 1991
Michigan State
#65
Carlos Jenkins
LB · MIN · 1991
Michigan State
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Anthony Bell in the 1986 NFL Draft
Anthony Bell is a Linebacker out of Michigan State selected No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1986 NFL Draft. 102 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 28 career approximate value Michigan State has produced 147 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Anthony Bell drafted?
Anthony Bell was selected No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1986 NFL Draft (Rd 1). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1986/anthony-bell.
What college did Anthony Bell play for?
Anthony Bell played college football at Michigan State in the Big Ten. See every Michigan State draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/michigan-state-spartans.
How did Anthony Bell's NFL career turn out?
102 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 28 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/1986/anthony-bell.