Potential Saints WR target Chris Bell ‘ahead of schedule’ in rehab
Louisville WR Chris Bell was a potential first rounder before his injury, and his latest medical update makes him a prime Day 2 target for the Saints.
Entering the 2025 college football season, Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell was regarded as a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, his remarkable final season at Louisville came to an end when he suffered a torn ACL in late November, which significantly impacted his draft stock. Five months later, and just over 24 hours before the draft, Bell is widely regarded as a likely second-round pick.
His name gained attention plenty of attention from the New Orleans Saints ' community during the NFL Combine when he revealed that his former teammate, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, had vouched for him to general manager Mickey Loomis and the front office. During his four seasons at Louisville, Bell caught 151 passes for a total of 2,166 yards and 12 touchdowns. Notably, nearly half of his receiving yards and touchdowns came during his ten full games in the 2025 season.
Standing at 6-foot-2, Bell also earned an outstanding 81. 8 Pro Football Focus overall grade last season, and only dropped three passes on 106 targets. #Louisville WR Chris Bell, a potential first-rounder before tearing his ACL in November, is running 18+ MPH and ahead of schedule in rehab, per agent @ErikBurkhardt and Dr.
Dan Cooper who preformed his surgery. At 6’2. 5, 222 lbs with 4.