Saskatchewan Roughriders first-round pick Malcolm Bell finally made a pick of his own.
After going nearly seven years without an interception in a game that counted, the rookie defensive back came up with his first CFL takeaway in the Riders' preseason finale, a May 23 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Saskatoon.
And yes, Bell knows how long it had been.
“The last pick was 2019,” Bell said with a grin following a recent practice at Mosaic Stadium. “I was in high school the last time I got a pick in an official game. Since 2019, I ain’t got a pick.”
For a player selected ninth overall in the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft by the Roughriders, the interception was another sign the 24-year-old is beginning to catch on quickly in head coach Corey Mace’s defence.
Bell said the play itself was more about being in the right place at the right time than making a highlight-reel read.
“All game they’re telling me, ‘watch for the seven, watch for the seven,’” Bell explained. “The receiver slipped, (Benny) Sapp tipped the ball, and I got it. I was just there at the right moment.”
Still, Bell knows defensive backs only get credit for catches they actually make.
“Got to be there to get it,” Bell said. “We could have got there and dropped the ball, but we got there and caught the ball.”
The rookie cornerback has been one of the more intriguing young players during training camp after arriving from Michigan State, where he was the Spartans’ highest-graded defender in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus.
Bell admitted adjusting back to the Canadian game after years in the NCAA has taken some work, especially with the wider field and constant communication required in the secondary.
“It’s just been an adaptation,” Bell said. “Football is football, but you've got to get comfortable within the system.”
That transition has been made easier thanks to a veteran defensive back group that Bell says constantly talks through adjustments before every snap.
“If it’s not Marcus Sayles, it’s T.C. (Tevaughn Campbell). If it’s not T.C., it’s (Rolan) Milligan or Deontai Williams,” Bell said. “There’s always somebody helping.”
The rookie added that the veterans have pushed him hard while still understanding he’s learning on the fly.
“They coach me hard, but never coach me mean. As long as the message gets through my head, that’s all that matters.”
Bell’s comfort level appears to be growing by the day, and returning to Regina from Saskatoon for the final week of camp last week — and finally seeing Mosaic Stadium — from the inside has only added to the excitement.
“I can’t wait to play and make plays in this stadium. You can already tell it’s loud even when nobody’s in here.”
Now Bell’s focus shifts toward carving out a permanent role for the regular season. That could include learning a second position in the Riders' secondary.
“I think halfback is probably what I’m trying to learn,” Bell said. “You've got to be able to play at least two positions.”
For now, though, after years without one, Bell finally has another interception to his name — and the rookie is hoping there are many more catches to come.
