Welcome to Cleveland, David Bell - WR - Purdue

[Lee]

Tell me you're old, without telling me you're old.

Is it like the chain or the use of the word tight? I am too old to know which was the old man habit, lol.

 

[red.]

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

My thoughts:

Running NFL WR route trees in CFP. He knows how to read a defense and adjust his route accordingly. It’s easy to see why a coach like Brian Hartline was so adamant someone should take him during the draft. The way he will sell a double move is truly special. With Watson, I believe Bell can continue to run those routes. Maybe not with the last guy.

He’s physical while running, taking contact while maintain balance. Is that something he can do in the NFL? We’ll see. You can see him get tackled by a turf monster more than once, and his lack of speed is evident at times. He does get to his top gear extremely fast. Flat out terrible run blocker, one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Lazy when asked to block.

 

[CBBI]

My thoughts:

Running NFL WR route trees in CFP. He knows how to read a defense and adjust his route accordingly. It’s easy to see why a coach like Brian Hartline was so adamant someone should take him during the draft. The way he will sell a double move is truly special. With Watson, I believe Bell can continue to run those routes. Maybe not with the last guy.

He’s physical while running, taking contact while maintain balance. Is that something he can do in the NFL? We’ll see. You can see him get tackled by a turf monster more than once, and his lack of speed is evident at times. He does get to his top gear extremely fast. Flat out terrible run blocker, one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Lazy when asked to block.

Good synopsis.

Evan Silva is a big proponent that college production translates better to NFL than pure athletic traits. And Bell was obviously an extreme college producer.

It doesn't seem like, at least to me, that Bell has great slot potential given his lack of short area quickness, but it seems like they want to at least try him there.

 

[kriegs]

NFL Scout takes on Bell:

12. DAVID BELL, Purdue (6-1, 209, 4.69, 3): Declared a year early after starting 26 of 29 games over three seasons. “Dynamite football player,” one scout said before the combine. “Routes, ball skills, sneaky after the catch because he’s instinctive. He just can’t run. I’d be shocked if he breaks 4.6. You can have one guy like him in your wide-receiver room.” When Bell barely broke 4.7, another scout lowered his grade by three rounds. “It’ll be hard for some teams to even consider him with that kind of number,” he said. “He’s definitely good enough to give a shot to. I think he’ll ultimately be fine in the NFL because he runs good routes and has good hands and is able to create enough separation. But speed is real, and it does make a difference.” Finished with 232 catches, fourth in Boilermakers’ history, for 2,935 (12.7) and 21 TDs. “I didn’t see much in him,” said a third scout. “He catches a ton of balls because they scheme him a lot. Just one gear. Never gets separation. Has to push off. Drops the ball for being that kind of guy.” From Indianapolis.

Part 1, WR/TE: Does size matter?

This draft lacks a Calvin Johnson- or Julio Jones-like stud at the top, but there are starters to be found. Bob McGinn kicks off his nine-part series with a detailed look at the receivers.

www.golongtd.com

 

[kriegs]

Reception Perception profile on David Bell:

David Bell​

Games sampled: 3

Unlike Christian Watson, David Bell has seemingly taken a bit of a tumble in the draft discourse since the NFL scouting combine. His less-than-stellar showing in Indy has overshadowed what was an awesome and productive college career.

Anytime a prospect tests in this area as an athlete we always need to take note and can’t just default to “watch the tape, bro.” But Reception Perception does show us that there might be more than enough skills here to build an NFL career in the right role.

Success Rate by Route​

​

Route Percentage​

Bell only lined up in the slot on 16.4% of his sampled snaps for Reception Perception but that’s most likely his best projectable home in the NFL. He really struggled to beat man coverage but faced zone coverage far more often and performed extremely well with an 81% success rate.

Success Rate vs. Coverage

• 59.5% success rate vs. man coverage (29.6% of routes)
• 81% success rate vs. zone coverage (70.4% of routes)
• 61.9% success rate vs. press coverage (14.8% of routes)

Rather predictably, his route success rate chart shows he’s going to struggle to separate in the vertical game. That doesn’t mean he will be without big plays as a pro.

Bell really thrived while running in-breaking intermediate routes like the curl and dig. He can build a portfolio as a big slot receiver with those patterns along with flats and screens. The over the routes will be key because Bell is a hoss after the catch. He was “in space” on 10.6% of his routes and was brought down on first contact on fewer than half of those plays and broke multiple tackles on 13.3%.

The biggest selling point of Bell’s game will be reliability, both being where he’s supposed to be against zone coverage and his strong hands. Bell managed an 88.9% catch rate on nine contested targets in this sample and didn’t drop a pass. If he’s going to succeed as a power slot in the NFL, this will be a crucial factor.
Reception Perception really loved Rashard Higgins as a prospect despite his extremely poor athletic profile. Higgins never developed into a star or anything but he’s carved out a place as a role player in the league. If Bell lands in a superior situation he could enjoy even better success.

 

[CBBI]

 

[letgocavs]

Most excited about this guy.

 

[macbdog]

Tell me you're old, without telling me you're old.

How so? He was right, that chain is groovy in a hip cat kind of way, daddio.

 

[Randolphkeys]

I'm glad I see some regulars coming around on Bell. No criticism for anyone who dropped his rankings after his athletic testing, but I think late third round was appropriate.

His game reminds me of Anquon Boldin, who played a lot like prime Browns Landry. If he is your X receiver, your team is in trouble. However, he can work the middle of the field and move the chains. If Bell's toughness is on par with Landry and Boldin, he will have a long career as a #2.

 

[Kbiz]

I was at the Purdue - Ohio State game this past year and Bell looked like the second best WR on the field that day behind Smith - Njigba. It was a cold, half snow half rain, windy ass day and he pretty much caught everything on the field while consistently finding gaps in coverage. We had no match for him in the secondary.

My ass is firmly planted on the Bell Bandwagon.

 

[red.]

The Athletic's Zac Jackson believes Browns third-round rookie David Bell "can be a similar player stylistically" to Jarvis Landry.​

Landry is currently a free agent after being let go by the Browns in March. Like Landry, Bell did not test well in the pre-draft process, but he was a productive college receiver who brings good size and great hands. If he shows the ability to uncover underneath at the NFL level, he has a path to targets given Cleveland's unsettled depth chart behind Amari Cooper. He could end up being a value in Dynasty rookie drafts.

 

[Kbiz]

Rich is also on the Bell Bandwagon.

 

[FrontPageNews]

Reception Perception profile on David Bell:

David Bell​

Games sampled: 3

Unlike Christian Watson, David Bell has seemingly taken a bit of a tumble in the draft discourse since the NFL scouting combine. His less-than-stellar showing in Indy has overshadowed what was an awesome and productive college career.

Anytime a prospect tests in this area as an athlete we always need to take note and can’t just default to “watch the tape, bro.” But Reception Perception does show us that there might be more than enough skills here to build an NFL career in the right role.

Success Rate by Route​

​

Route Percentage​

Bell only lined up in the slot on 16.4% of his sampled snaps for Reception Perception but that’s most likely his best projectable home in the NFL. He really struggled to beat man coverage but faced zone coverage far more often and performed extremely well with an 81% success rate.

Success Rate vs. Coverage

• 59.5% success rate vs. man coverage (29.6% of routes)
• 81% success rate vs. zone coverage (70.4% of routes)
• 61.9% success rate vs. press coverage (14.8% of routes)

Rather predictably, his route success rate chart shows he’s going to struggle to separate in the vertical game. That doesn’t mean he will be without big plays as a pro.

Bell really thrived while running in-breaking intermediate routes like the curl and dig. He can build a portfolio as a big slot receiver with those patterns along with flats and screens. The over the routes will be key because Bell is a hoss after the catch. He was “in space” on 10.6% of his routes and was brought down on first contact on fewer than half of those plays and broke multiple tackles on 13.3%.

The biggest selling point of Bell’s game will be reliability, both being where he’s supposed to be against zone coverage and his strong hands. Bell managed an 88.9% catch rate on nine contested targets in this sample and didn’t drop a pass. If he’s going to succeed as a power slot in the NFL, this will be a crucial factor.
Reception Perception really loved Rashard Higgins as a prospect despite his extremely poor athletic profile. Higgins never developed into a star or anything but he’s carved out a place as a role player in the league. If Bell lands in a superior situation he could enjoy even better success.

You would think with the way analytics is used by most teams that Purdue would have seen how well he does in corner routes and tried that more often.

 

[Lee]

You would think with the way analytics is used by most teams that Purdue would have seen how well he does in corner routes and tried that more often.

They got the ball a ton to Bell. He has great hands, I saw every play. The vision Bell had was playing 2 years with Rondale Moore, but injuries and COVID prevented that, so Bell saw allot more double teams than he expected when he picked Purdue.

Bell knows who he is as a receiver. DeAndre Hopkins ran a 4.57 at the combine, not blazing or even fast. Very simular size and athletic ability, with Hopkins being a bit more athletic, but both are very good route runners and great hands, and both high point the ball well, gret ball hawking skills.

I really think Bell will play well off Cooper and be a poor mans Hopkins, that is who i see him as. I am biased though, no doubt, but I think the Browns got a steal.