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Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell doing some media at the 2026 NFL Combine.
The New York Jets are investigating one of the most interesting wide receivers in the 2026 NFL draft.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport revealed on social media that Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell is on a “top 30 visit” with the Jets on Tuesday, April 7.
“Possession receiver coming off of his most productive year and a late-season ACL tear. Bell’s scores frequently came as a move target across the hashes, where he was able to use impressive build-up speed to eliminate angles and outrun everyone in the secondary to the paint. He’s average at eluding press and separating from tight man underneath. Improving his catch focus and positioning when contested will be critical,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote.
“Bell lacks dynamic qualities, and his ACL tear could impact his draft slotting, but he’s a big, physical target with room to improve. He has a chance to become an average WR2/3 in time,” Zierlein added.
Medical Situation With Bell
Rapoport also revealed on social media that Bell is scheduled for a “Combine Rechecks” later this week.
Bell tore his ACL on November 22 and had surgery to repair it in December, according to Rapoport. Sources revealed to ESPN that the ACL tear “is believed to be clean.”
That injury has affected Bell’s draft stock. On the consensus big board, Bell is ranked as the No. 53 overall player in this class. He is the No. 8-ranked wide receiver in the draft class by those same rankings.
I spoke with A-to-Z NFL draft analyst Ryan Roberts on “Boy Green Meets Wudi” this week. During our conversation, he brought up Bell and what his draft stock would be if he didn’t get hurt.
“The one though that is super fascinating in this class, if not for the injury, and I don’t actually bake injuries into my final evaluations, I just kind of put that little red sticker next to their name and let them know, like, hey, there are some medical concerns here, but I’m not a doctor. I love Chris Bell out of Louisville. Like if Chris Bell did not tear his ACL down the stretch of the season, I think he would have maybe gone in the top-20. Like I think he was on that type of ascension,” Roberts told me on the podcast.
“He is 6-foot-2, and he was 227 pounds before the season. Guys, he was going to run 4.4 flat or better; he just was, he is so fast and explosive. So I think he is going to be a value. If I’m the Jets in the early 30s or I’m the Tennessee Titans at [pick No.] 35, even if you have to be patient with Chris Bell in his rehab a little bit, when you’re a team that is not going to compete in 2026. I might be patient with a guy like Chris Bell. I think the upside and the long-term investment could pay off tremendously. Bell, I think, is going to be a tremendous value early in the second round,” Roberts explained.
Getting Into the Numbers
Bell, 21, will turn 22 before the start of the 2026 season.
Across his four years at Louisville, Bell appeared in 47 games. With those opportunities, Bell collected 151 receptions for 2,166 receiving yards and scored 12 receiving touchdowns.
If Roberts is right that Bell will be available on day two of the 2026 NFL draft, the Jets have a pair of picks in the second round:
- No. 33 overall
- No. 44 overall
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
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