ASU adds junior college receiver commit

Arizona State received its first commitment from a junior college player Wednesday evening when Chula Vista (Calif.) Southwestern Community College receiver George Bell gave the Sun Devils his pledge.

Bell visited ASU along with his mother Wednesday and committed to the program before the trip was over. He was primarily being recruited by Bryce Erickson, who recruits the San Diego Area, and also by receivers coach Eric Yarber.

"I didn't think I was going to go through with [making a commitment] until I got there but when I got there it was just a family environment and it was real comfortable," Bell said. "The coaches were really easy to talk to, it wasn't just like a coach-player relationship, you could just talk to them like regular people and I loved that. It was more like a big brother-little brother type of thing. It was more about me than just about football.

"Coach (Bryce) Erickson spent the most time recruiting me and talking to me and I built a real good relationship with him and then coach Yarber, he's just a real down the earth guy, he's a lot like me and I know I'm going to work well with him and learn a lot from him. He's coached some of the best receivers in the game and knows what it takes to get to that next level, and not just get there but to be successful."

Bell, 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, said that he models his on-field style of play after Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson.

"I'm a stretch the field kind of guy. That's what I am at Southwest. I can run the short routes and do a good job with that but I'm a big play guy with my size and I run a 4.42 so I have the ability to make plays downfield and that's what I like to do the most. You put it up in the air and I can go get it or I can adjust to the ball and make plays on guys."

Arizona, Colorado, Fresno State, Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, and San Diego State had offered scholarships according to Bell, with other Pac-10 programs paying close attention.

As a freshman Bell said he had 80 catches for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning first-team all-conference and all-sate honors.

He said he had a strong familiarity with ASU prior to his trip Wednesday, as former Sun Devil Israel Stanley is his godfather, and current ASU quarterback commit Pete Thomas has spent a lot of time throwing balls to Bell in recent months.

"I think it's a great fit," Bell said. "I'm really looking forward to playing for the coaches there and I want to show what I can do in the Pac-10."

Bell is expecting to graduate in December and enroll at ASU as a mid-year transfer.