Browns impressed with rookie WR David Bell

As Josh Alper noted for Pro Football Talk, former Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver David Bell fell past the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft due to questions about his speed. Specifically, Bell ran an underwhelming 4.65 seconds in his official 40-yard dash at the league's scouting combine. 

The Cleveland Browns obviously weren't overly concerned, as they took a flier on Bell via draft choice No. 99 overall in the third round. For a piece published Thursday, Cleveland wide receivers coach/pass game coordinator Chad O'Shea explained why the club remains high on Bell coming off springtime workouts and heading into training camp that opens later this month.

"He had the ability to be productive with the ball in his hands," O'Shea said of Bell, according to Anthony Poisal of the Browns' website. "The job of the receiver is to get open and catch the ball, and we would obviously like to be productive when we have the ball in our hands. He has the ability to make defenders miss in space and the ability to find the end zone. He's an instinctive runner with the ball in his hands, and one of which produced."

Bell, who recorded 232 career college catches with just 11 drops, spent time during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp working out of the slot, but the rookie doesn't yet have a set home in his new offensive scheme. 

"We don't have any specific place for him right now," O'Shea continued during his comments. "We're going to keep moving him around to see where his value is best for the Cleveland Browns, and I think that's a good thing for him because the more you can do, you're going to increase your value for the team."

Like other Cleveland players, Bell is still waiting to learn if he'll be catching passes thrown by starting quarterback Deshaun Watson or backup Jacoby Brissett in Week 1 this September. For now, the 21-year-old seems to be handling his business regardless of who is under center.

"Speed is one thing, but there's so many things that go into being a great receiver," O'Shea added. "It's body control. It's an ability to understand where you are on the field and have sideline awareness. All those things are critical in the development of a young wide receiver, and he certainly has a lot of those things that we're able to work with."