DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2022 NFL Season 2022 NFL Draft David Bell, wide receiver, selected with the 99th pick

I see Bell demanding double coverage. Should open up other receivers. Good strategy pick.

If his production was inconsistent I would be concerned. It's reported that he held the Purdue record of 17 100-yard receiving games out of 29 career starts. Those numbers don't lie.

The intricacies of his game say Landry.

Yeah, I have watched a few Purdue games, as I have a friend who is a Boilermaker.

Good receiver, I just did not expect to see the speed as being an issue.

Good pick. Has great hands and excellent rout runner. Going to be a good possession receiver.

I watched Purdue four times this year and Bell impressed me each time I saw him. He caught a ton of balls in at least three of the games I watched. He really competes on the field. I didn't think we would draft due to some of the measurables, but I like this pick.

Yes - it's too soon to make any predictions, but this pick, Winfrey and York are all picks I like a lot.

Maybe for once the Browns can draft a WR and actually develop
Him. When was the last WR the Browns drafted and was
Actually a top tier NFL WR?

DBL coverage??? The guy runs a 4.70 . Other teams can cover him with a nose tackle.

I think you are right. Unless and until Bell establishes himself as a threat in this league he'll routinely receive single coverage.
While being covered this way, I project him to win against single-man coverage and zone at a high rate.

David Bell could become our Wes Welker and Julius Edelmann. I don't believe either one of them was very fast but they ran good routes, were shifty and caught everything thrown at them. Nothing wrong with that!

I would feel better about a slower receiver if they were productive in the SEC vs the Big Ten. With that said though, Ohio State is a team that has SEC speed and Bell had 11 receptions for 103 yards. Iowa and Michigan State were two other teams that had a good season last year and he went 11 for 217 and 1 TD vs Sparty, and 11 for 240 and 1 TD vs Iowa.

That is getting it done vs good competition. I think he will be someone to move the chains for the Browns.

You need to look at the average lards per catch.

Bell was always the focus of the opposition as well. Lots of production, maybe he did not learn how to run a forty, but he was known to every team as someone to account for…

Chad O'Shea is the Browns Wr's coach, he is going to have a lot of projects, whew, think of the number of players who need to show development. Whew.

"you need to look at the average lards per catch." new favorite expression.
They also need to attack every inch of the field.

At some positions I might agree, but the Big 10 provides top competition. I wouldn't let that jade the opinion on his ability to get open and catch..

Let's just say that Bell is far less likely to give up on a route across the middle that results in an int, and a hurt QB,

Sometimes production matters.

Measurables are really bad.

4.65 forty
Horrible 20 yard
Hands are small

Would seem an unlikely candidate to shine.

Landry was actually slower at the combine so the comp is valid. Anquan Boldin was worse as well.....


But those guys are the exception to the rule, not saying Bell can't break the mold as well. It's just unlikely.

There is always the most important two ingredients to consider when it comes to a WR. Drop rate and route running. You can be fast and have big hands, but if you can't catch and can't run good routes, all you're good for is dropping post route passes. Outrun a CB in a straight line and drop the long ball.

If you can run good routes and catch the ball you can be a very good WR.

Hartline tweeting about this guy tells me about as much as I need to know. They probably believe that replaced Landry already.

Let's see:

1. Excellent route runner
2. Great hands
3. Good size
4. Highly productive against good competition
5. Physical - makes contested catches and good YAC

Great pick at end of round 3. Like this kid a lot.

I agree, the only thing I take issue with is 5 on the "contested catches" part . Contested catches is nice in the NFL, but you should be getting open in college. 90% of the guys who line up across from you won't make it to the league.

I agree, plus in college he went up against a lot more smaller guys than what he will see in the NFL. You can have the best hands in the world but if you can't get open that cuts way down on the number of passes your going to see.

But couldn't that be said about every draft pick? None of them have faced the talent level they will face in the pro's. It sounds great in theory but once again, that's related to speed. Being a physical WR who wins contested catches is a skill. How that translates in the pro's is no different than any other draft picks skill set. With his 40 time he wasn't going to outrun everyone in college just like he's not going to outrun everyone in the NFL. Having the skill to deal with that reality isn't a negative.

No matter who you are, contested balls are a thing that's going to happen... so, it's good that when they do, he excels at winning those battles.

I am a Big Ten Guy (OSU), I watch Big Ten Games over all other Conferences, Does that make an Expert, No, but I have watched this kid a lot and seen enough football to see that some kids are more than just good players, and this kid is way above Average, I would have loved him at #44, so getting him at #99 was a steal in my eyes. Welcome to Cleveland David Bell I'm looking forward to watching you hook up with DW for the next few years

With a receiver like Bell, it will be important for the QB and him to be on the same page. Timing will be key. Bell can get open but he won't stay open for long with his relative lack of top end speed. Corners will be able to close on him, so being a double clutch Baker isn't going to work.

I'm not one that cares much about 40 times. Or hand size, really.

What matters is, can/do you catch the ball?

40 times are, imo, so, SO over rated.

Now you made a post I agree with. This has to stop happening!

His QB didn't seem particularly accurate from what I've seen. His highlights seemed to have a fair number of underthrown deep balls that he had to come back into traffic for.

Taco Bell, again?

They both matter, but if I had to pick one i'd prefer hand size over 40 time, yes. Your hand size as a WR has a direct impact on your ability to catch the football.

It would seem that way, wouldn't it. It would seem to give an advantage, wouldn't it?

It would seem that way if you didn't look into the numbers.

Here is a drop rate comparison.....

Garrett Wilson 6.8%

Treylon Burks 7.4%

John Metchie 8.6%

Drake London 5.7%

Jahan Dotson 5.1%

Chris Olave 4.7%

Moore and Pickens has insanely good numbers!

Skyy Moore 3.3%

George Pickens 2.1%

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-most-least-improved-units-2022-nfl-draft

According to the Browns web site Bell had a drop rate of 4.7% which is equal to Olave and ranked pretty high in this draft class.

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/new...ome-of-the-best-hands-in-the-draft-class

If I had to pick one it would be the ability to get off the line of scrimmage.

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/david-bell-readying-for-possible-role-at-slot-wr

David Bell readying for possible role at slot WR
Bell’s skills are ripe for the slot position, where the Browns are looking for a new every-down player
May 17, 2022 at 09:12 AM




David Bell is ready to play anywhere in the Browns' offense, but several signs from Berea so far point to one spot in particular where he could make an early impact: the slot.

At 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds, Bell, the Browns' third-round rookie receiver from Purdue, has the frame and route-running skills to thrive in the role. The Browns have a vacancy at the slot position following the departure of Jarvis Landry, and Bell could be the Browns' top candidate to succeed him after three accolade-filled years in West Lafayette.

"(I'll play) wherever they need me," Bell said Friday before the Browns' first practice of rookie minicamp. "Whether it's outside, inside, in the backfield if they want to hand me the ball a little bit — I doubt it — but where coach decides to put me, that's where I see it."

Bell has the tools to fit nicely regardless of where he's used. The Browns believed he had some of the best hands and route-running skills of the draft class because he produced in both inside and outside roles with the Boilermakers, where he topped 1,000 yards in two of his three seasons and tallied only 11 drops among his 232 career receptions. He was a First Team All-American and First Team All Big-Ten WR of the Year in 2021.

Bell said the Browns have already told him he'll take snaps in the slot as a rookie, but it's still way too early to know how many he'll handle on a weekly basis. The biggest emphasis for him now, as with all rookies, is to study the playbook and progress through OTAs so that he can be fully prepared to audition for the slot position in training camp.

"They just said, 'You're going to be in the slot a little bit this year, so get adjusted to the playbook and make sure you know what to do and when to do it,'" Bell said. "I'm really just looking forward to the opportunity."

Bell could have an immediate opportunity to see high snap volumes if he can carve out a slot role. His competition will consist of two other young receivers in Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz, although both players mostly played on the outside in 2021.

To put it simply: The role is there for Bell to take, and the Browns have made it clear that they believe he has the tools to grab it as a rookie and be a sizable contributor in their offense from the jump.

"I think he has versatility outside and inside," coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday. "I do think he has a natural competitiveness both in route-running and in route-catching, and the ability in the route-running game to set people up and drop your weight. Those type of things."

That goes hand-in-hand with what Bell believes is the top advantage of playing in the slot.

Typically, the slot cornerback lines up a few yards behind the scrimmage rather than beginning the play right in the receiver's face. The extra room allows for a slot receiver a bit more time to possibly fool the defender and create separation.

"I think it gives you a little bit more freedom," Bell said. "He's about 5 to 6 yards off, so you can get up on his toes and have a lot of space to create even more space."

That task, however, will be much harder to do at the NFL level, and Bell knows it. That's why he's prioritizing learning the playbook first so he's ready to handle all plays necessary to train for the role in training camp.

And if Bell succeeds, get ready to see him a lot in the offense early in 2022.

"At first, it's going to be a little challenging," Bell said, "but once I get the repetition and be on the field and do it on the field with players around me, I think I'll be good."