2022 Chiefs Draft Prospect: David Bell

NAME: David Bell

POSITION: Wide Receiver

SCHOOL: Purdue

HEIGHT: 6’2’’

WEIGHT: 205 pounds

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CAREER BACKGROUND

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, David Bell attended Warren Central High School. His junior season of high school was highly productive from an athletic standpoint. In football, Bell recorded 52 receptions, 1,075 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He was also part of the Warren Central’s basketball team. During that junior season, he and the team won the Class 4A state basketball championship and completed an undefeated season. Bell’s senior football season was even more impactful. He recorded 85 receptions, 1,542 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. Warren Central won the 6A state football championship. Furthermore, Bell received many accolades. This included being named the Marion County Athlete of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year by The Indianapolis Star, as well as the Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year for 2018. He ultimately chose Purdue over other offers, which included Penn State and Ohio State.

Instant Impact

Instantly after joining the Boilermakers program, Bell made an impact for Purdue’s offense. He appeared in all 12 games as a freshman in 2019. The receiver recorded 86 receptions (tied for Big Ten conference lead), 1,035 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Furthermore, Bell was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week four times, tying a Purdue school record. He also earned an honorable mention selection for All-Big Ten and Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors for 2019.

Afterwards, the 2020 season was shortened, due to the COVID pandemic. Bell still produced at a high rate, nevertheless. He recorded four 100+ yard receiving games. Bell finished with 53 receptions (a team high), 625 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in six games. For the first time, he was named first team All-Big Ten for his 2020 efforts.

Terrific Finish

David Bell was known as the Boilermakers top wide receiver going into 2021. With Rondale Moore being drafted to the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, Bell was primed for an even stronger campaign. And he did more than just deliver. He finished with 93 receptions (a team high), 1,286 receiving yards (a team high) and six touchdowns. Bell earned first team All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season. More impressively, he was also named a Consensus first team All-American and won the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year, which is awarded to the Big Ten Conference’s best wide receiver each season.

SCOUTING REPORT

Instead of listing positives and negatives for traits, this year we will be listing the best trait of each prospect and work our way down to the biggest area of improvement/absent trait(s), from top to bottom.

Route Running

There are many different nuances that Bell puts into his route running. This is important for a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, where things like area of the field, different defensive looks and other factors determine what receivers are supposed to do on their given routes. Bell has a great understanding of angles. This is emphasized even greater when you see his deep understanding of body positioning against opposing defenders, as well as his intelligence for the depth needed on each route.

On the other hand, he displays a variety of fakes, double moves and stutter steps during his routes. Bell maintains control during this and makes a purpose of taking softer steps in space. Overall, he is a savvy technician as a route runner who keeps opposing defensive backs on their heels. Thus, his cushion increases, presenting his fine attention to detail. The game just slows down for Bell throughout his entire route stem.

Separation

As mentioned above, Bell has plenty of double moves, head fakes and stutter steps that throw the opponent off balance. His technically refined style allows him to control this both at the snap and at the top of the route. Bell uncovers at the top of the route so subtly. At the same time, he still has a focus on urgently attacking leverage points.

Bell has noticeably improved when it comes to reading and finding softer spots or windows in coverage. The same can be said about sticking his foot in the ground more firmly, in order to get there. Bell finishes smoothly on hard breaking routes. The cherry on top in this area? This wide receiver has become extremely comfortable in waiting out the defensive back to make the first move or bite on the route, before he carries away from the defender in space.

Run After Catch Ability

This is an area where Bell significantly progressed during his Purdue career. His ability to stop and restart in the open field can leave the opponent guessing. Elsewhere, Bell appears to routinely find a second gear in the open field once the ball is secured. He does possess that patience and ability to wait the defender out before they jump too early on making the first move. However, Bell still takes sharp angles when working up the field. He consistently continues to move north in those situations too, rather than working east or west too often. Bell can stave off contact in space with sneaky good upper body strength and elusiveness.

Release Package

There is a wide array of releases that Bell uses at the line of scrimmage. This includes a speed release. During these moments, he builds more cushion and opposing defensive backs usually grant that to him because of his ability to stop on a dime. Bell also uses a stutter release. This freezes opponents early on in the route. On top of that, he also uses a staggered release. That forces the defensive back to choose which leverage points he wants to take. And Bell reacts accordingly with those easier options that are afforded to him during the rep. He surprises and plays bigger than his size when fighting through contact with upper body strength.

Football IQ

It appears that Bell takes great pride in being polished with every route. He has great poise and situational awareness against more physical defensive backs. Mostly, this then forces those opponents to get out of their element a bit. This is again due to Bell’s smooth, patient style. He does not hesitate to attack any leverage point. Meanwhile, he understands how to attack each area of the field differently.

Bell stays more relaxed in the short passing game, for example. Whereas, he attacks most comfortably in the intermediate passing game and then trusts his stop to start ability in the deep passing game. Finally, Bell knows how to balance turning on the accelerator vs throttling it down, when needing to keep the drive alive.

Speed

Once the ball gets into his hands, Bell is quicker than some realize. He may not have elite long speed. As a result, he can get caught from behind every once in a while. Bell makes up for that with advantageous lateral quickness and swift change of direction skills.

Versatility

Entering the NFL, Bell will likely work primarily as an outside receiver. It is not impossible to imagine him working from the slot. Bell has a great sense of situational awareness and spatial awareness though, possibly increasing his odds from the slot. That awareness also helps him to stack opponents and work to all areas of the field. In the meantime, this also helps Bell to leave opponents guessing on if he is going to attack and turn up the field, or wait them out and remain patient.

Hands

Bell obviously does not have stones for hands. Yet, drops occur at the most surprising moments or spots on the field. He will need to tighten his hands at the catch point. Basically, meaning that Bell will need to snatch the ball with a more firm grip more consistently. He could also work to extend his arms away from his frame more often. If so, he would be able to take advantage of his catch radius, while also having bobbles or double catches less often.

Ball Skills

NFL coaches may like to see much quicker and more urgent adjustments to passes that are off-target or difficult to corral. This is not due to a lack of focus. But, Bell has been rather inconsistent when needing to make catches in traffic. He is much better in the short areas here, compared to the intermediate or deep passing game. Tracking the football and making the tougher catches in traffic more often will only make him a more complete receiver.

CHIEFS FIT

Having success at wide receiver within the Chiefs offense has been mixed lately. It takes time to learn the playbook. There are many options and freedoms that the pass catcher is allotted, depending on the defense and what the pair of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid may want. All in all, the top traits of David Bell could allow him to make a smooth transition in an offense like Kansas City’s.

His savvy route running, ability to separate in all areas of the field and produce routinely after the catch make him a threat in multiple facets. He can be just as dangerous in the quick passing game, as he can be in the deep passing game. Bell is also smart enough to make his own magic so to speak against any kind or size of defensive backs.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs draft prospect profiles throughout this winter and spring. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.