Sometimes timing is everything.
Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell may have been on his way toward being a first round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He didn’t have the best stats or the highest profile playing at Louisville, however he has a physical and athletic profile with which none of the top receiving prospect can compare.
The 6-foot-2, 220 pounder likely would have turned a 4.40-second 40 yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine, which would have put an exclamation point on a workout that was expected to be stellar. Fate, however, had other ideas and he tore his ACL in November, nixing all of his post season workouts and putting his draft stock in question.
The New York Giants absolutely could use a player with Bell’s traits and profile. But can they afford to spend a second round pick on a player who may not contribute until 2027?
Prospect: Chris Bell (0)
Games Watched: vs. James Madison (2025), vs. Clemson (2025), vs. Miami (2025)
Red Flags: ACL (suffered 11/2025, surgery in 12/2025)
Measurables
Height: 6-foot-2 (unofficial)
Weight: 220 pounds (unofficial)
Strengths
Best traits
- Size
- Speed
- Explosiveness
- Play strength
- Run after catch
Chris Bell is a big and explosively athletic wide receiver prospect. He boasts a prototypical frame for an outside receiver at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds while having a great blend of explosive acceleration and effortless long speed.
Bell’s athleticism lends itself both to making him incredibly dangerous after the catch as well as a true deep threat. He’s able to run past defenders who don’t respect his speed, chew up cushions, or accelerate to break angles for would-be tacklers. His size, play strength, and contact balance allow him to break tackles as well as play through contact in the middle of the field. It’s something of a shame that Louisville didn’t use him as a vertical or catch-and-run threat more often.
He flashes some route savvy, bending his stem to set up defensive backs before breaking in the opposite direction. Bell’s size also gives him a large catch radius and he also shows good upside in his ability to locate and track the ball down the field.
Bell is also a capable blocker, using his speed to get into position quickly and size to overwhelm smaller defensive backs. He plays with something of a bully’s mentality on the play side, delivering hard blocks to disrupt defenders ahead of the play.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Knee injury
Right now, the biggest question that needs to be answered with regards to Bell is the health and prognosis of his knee. He tore his ACL late in November of 2025 and had surgery in December, so he’ll only be a few months into his rehab at the time of the draft. His availability as a rookie is absolutely in question, and we don’t know how that will impact his draft stock. Likewise, while his injury is reported to be a “clean” tear of the ACL, teams will want to know the long-term prognosis for the knee. His medical checks at the combine will be crucial for his draft stock.
His injury also complicates his athletic evaluation. Bell was pretty widely expected to be among the most athletic receivers in this year’s class, potentially boasting a 4.40-second 40-yard dash to go with his 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame. That would make for easy (and exciting) comparisons to A.J. Brown coming out of Ole Miss. However, the lack of an actual workout makes those comparisons more difficult to make.
On the field, Bell needs to do a better job of attacking the ball at the catch point. He has a big catch radius and appears to have strong hands, however he doesn’t consistently pluck the ball out of the air. There are a few too many instances of him allowing it into his frame, only to be disrupted by a hard hit before he can secure the catch.
Game Tape
(Bell is the Louisville wide receiver wearing number 0 with black gloves.)
Projection
Chris Bell projects as a starting receiver with scheme and positional versatility at the NFL level.
Bell has the ability to stretch the field as a vertical threat, generate explosive plays as a ball carrier, and serve as a possession receiver. He can also help offenses away from the ball as a blocker or using his size to create traffic as a part of route concepts.
Bell wasn’t used to his full potential as a pass catcher in Louisville’s offense, and he still needs to hone his craft as a pro. Likewise, he could stand to be more aggressive attacking the ball at the catch point. However, the biggest factor in his draft stock will be his medical reports. It’s possible that Bell could become a steal for the right team if he slides far enough but returns to full strength.
Does he fit the Giants? Yes, depending on their appetite for risk.
Final Word: A Round 2 talent
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