From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Louisville WR Chris Bell.
No. 0 Chris Bell/WR Louisville 6014/227 (Fourth-year Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Chris Bell 6014/227 N/A N/A N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
The Good
– Great speed when he is able to build up acceleration
– Long strider who erases defensive angles
– Steady uptick in production
– Approaches the game with a power-based mindset
– Shows grown man strength in his route running
– Understands how to stack defenders early in his route
– Demonstrates a good understanding of finding voids in zone coverage and squaring his numbers
– Strong, reliable hands with an attacking mindset
– Good feel for tracking the ball on vertical routes
– Tough concentration when catching in traffic
– Has “late hands” that keep the defense unaware that the ball is going his way until the last moment
– Punishing runner after the catch
– Willing and effective blocker who uses dense frame to drive defenders out of the play
The Bad
– Average initial burst
-Limited lateral quickness that minimizes his release package
– Struggles to beat press cleanly with his footwork
– Over-relies on raw power, which can lead to more attrition and disruption at the line of scrimmage
– Route running lacks salesmanship
– Slows his feet when turning to locate the ball, which can be a tell for defensive backs
– Less effective on out-breaking routes or double moves
– Will make unnecessary jumps for the ball
Stats
– 2025 stats: 72 catches, 917 yards, 12.7 yards per catch, 6 touchdowns
– Career stats: 151 catches, 2166 yards, 14.3 yards per catch, 12 touchdowns
Injury History
– Suffered a torn labrum that forced him to miss his first spring session in college (2023)
– Clean tear in his ACL against SMU, but had surgery to repair it (2025)
Background
– 3-star recruit that played for two different high schools (Yazoo City, Greenville Christian)
– Helped Greenville Christian win a state title with a touchdown in the championship game
– 2-sport athlete also starring in track
– Recorded a 200m time of 22.54 seconds and was a state qualifier
– Reached a max speed of 22 mph on a touchdown against James Madison (2025)
– First-team All-ACC and Biletnikoff semifinalist (2025)
– Graduated in 3 years with a B.A. in Sports Administration
-All-ACC Academic team (2024)
– Part of the UofL FCA, which helped shape his attitude off the field
– Favorite receiver growing up was Tavon Austin
– Models his game after AJ Brown and Deebo Samuel
– Has 3 sisters
Tape Breakdown
Prior to his injury suffered late in the season, Bell was enjoying a breakout campaign. His stock has dropped since the injury, but he was firmly in discussion to head the second-tier receivers in this class, and for good reason. At his size, he is a good athlete with threatening speed. His lateral agility is decent, but it’s not how he wins. He’s a long strider who can outrun the fastest people on the field when he reaches his top speed. Below is an example of him outrunning the defense after he builds up his speed:
His primary limitation as an athlete is lateral mobility, which also causes hip stiffness. He wasn’t tasked with running a diverse route tree, but in his opportunities, it was harder for him to make sharper cuts, and he tended to take a more rounded path. Doing so presents a greater opportunity for the corner to make a break on the ball and contest the catch.
Another development needed for his game to take the next step is to build a more refined route tree. I’ve already mentioned he wasn’t asked to do much regarding diversity. Most of his work came on lateral routes, hitches and vertical shots. It’s not impossible for this facet of his game to grow, but he will need to put in more work for it to be respectable.
On Day 1, his calling card will be his physicality. He looks to be a bully in every facet of his game. He’s great in contested catch situations, but his ability to adjust to the ball is just as impressive. While he isn’t a traditional separator, Bell understands how to use his body as leverage to keep a defender away from the ball.
In addition to his ability to make catches in traffic, Bell’s most promising trait is his performance after the catch. He doesn’t try to get fancy with the ball in his hands, but rather attacks downhill quickly and with aggression. Bell isn’t impossible to tackle in the open field, but he will make the defender work for it.
Conclusion
If Bell overcomes his injury and returns to form, an organization will be very happy to have a player of his talent fall to them in the draft. He doesn’t have much finesse to his game, but he does have great vertical speed. Complemented by his power, he has significant upside.
Bell models his game after AJ Brown, with whom he shares many similarities as a prospect. Brown was also physically limited and was not considered a great separator coming out of Ole Miss, but he had strong hands and was physical at the catch point. This does not mean Bell will develop into another AJ Brown, though. Substantial development is needed for that.
His route running is modest, but it’s harder to gauge for a player who wasn’t asked to diversify his route tree. But he is stiffer in the hips, which can limit his change of direction and ability to sink at the top of his route. Brown learned to overcome similar obstacles, so there is a path to success.
Bell projects well as a WR2 with 1,000-yard capability in the NFL. Ideally, he lands in a West Coast system or one that builds its pass game through play-action that lets him maximize his YAC ability.
NFL Draft Projection: Early – Mid Day 2
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 8.4 MED (Long-time Starter)
Grade Range: 8.0 – 8.6
Games Watched: vs. Virginia (2025), @ Miami (2025), vs. Clemson (2025)
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