Chris Bell: The Wild Card of the 2026 Dolphins Draft

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Chris Bell: The Wild Card of the 2026 Dolphins Draft

Originally posted on Dolphins Talk | By Julian Dieni | Last updated Apr 27, 2026 9:27 AM ET

The Wild Card of the 2026 Dolphins Draft: Chris Bell

The Miami Dolphins selected another receiver in round 3, and this one is an interesting story.

Chris Bell out of Louisville was selected at pick 94. What’s interesting is that Bell tore his ACL in late November of 2025, and if he hadn’t, he probably would have been a first-round pick this year, or at worst an early 2nd-round pick.

So, the Dolphins are getting a top talent in this draft at the end of round three. With the caveat that he may not be ready for the start of the 2026 season.

But for a Dolphins team that is year one of a long rebuild, there is no rush to have Bell ready by week one. If he is, great, that is just a bonus. But if he isn’t, that isn’t a huge deal with where the Dolphins are at currently.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Bell is ahead of his rehab schedule and has a chance to be cleared for football activities soon.

Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said after he drafted Bell that he won’t put a time frame on his return to the field, but he expects him to play this season for Miami, which I am sure would make Miami Dolphins OC Bobby Slowik very happy.

Bell recorded over 2,100 yards in his 4 seasons at Louisville, and before his injury, He was compared to Deebo Samuel for his electric after-the-catch ability.

Both players are also built with solid frames, standing over 6 feet tall and weighing around 220 pounds.

Others have compared Bell to A.J. Brown.

Bell’s film shows an above-average ability to separate at the stem of crossing routes.

He caught a lot of screen passes due to his ability to shake arm tackles and his speed in the open field. Even though he is a taller player, he is not the prototypical “X” receiver.

He can play inside and out and catch passes in the middle of the field. Miami drafted Caleb Douglas in round 3, who is more of a boundary receiver who catches passes outside the numbers.

Bell is now the primary target in the middle of the field for Miami when he is able to get on the field and play.

This article first appeared on Dolphins Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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