Nick Saban Lauds Dolphins’ Selection of WR in Third Round of 2026 NFL Draft

Nick Saban Lauds Dolphins’ Selection of WR in Third Round of 2026 NFL Draft

The first wide receiver the Miami Dolphins drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft was Caleb Douglas at No. 75 overall, but a lot of people believe the best wideout they selected was Chris Bell at No. 94 overall. Bell is widely regarded as one of the biggest steals of the draft, and a legendary head coach at the collegiate level — as well as a former Dolphins coach — seems to be a big fan of the pick.

Nick Saban, who coached the Dolphins to a 17-19 record across the 2005 and 2006 seasons, indicated they got great bang for their buck with their pick late in the third round.

“He’s a real bargain,” Saban said.

For a while, Bell, a former University of Louisville Cardinal, was well on his way to hearing his name called in or around the first round of April’s draft. After all, in just 11 games played as a senior in 2025, he totaled 917 receiving yards and showed off a knack for making big catches, averaging 11.7 yards per reception. But late in the college season against SMU, he tragically went down with a torn ACL, and his draft stock plummeted as a result. He’s still recovering from the injury all these months later, and it could be some time before he makes his Dolphins debut.

While Bell’s recovery timeline isn’t clear yet, when he’s healthy enough to suit up, it might not be long before fans are convinced he’s the Dolphins’ WR1 of the future. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski just recently named him as a sleeper pick from the 2026 NFL Draft with the potential to be a Rookie of the Year candidate, and he’s someone quarterback Malik Willis will likely turn to early and often, given how thin the Dolphins’ receiver corps is looking.

If Dolphins fans should take away anything from what Saban said about Bell, it’s that the youngster got a seal of approval from someone who knows what high-level football looks like as well as anyone.