A reverse Berry!

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10021513-david-bell-nfl-draft-2022-scouting-report-for-purdue-wr

Slow but great hands. Slot receiver

Yeah, he doesn't fit our type of guy. However, I kinda like this pick at this stage of the draft. The guy catches the ball in traffic. He's great on underneath routes and works the sideline well on verticals. He's slow, but he can fill Landry's role. He makes some amazing catches. I think he can help us move the chains. Pretty good pick.

Not necessarily, considering where he was picked. He's the Landry replacement.

A giant slot receiver.

I love this pick. I’m thinking he is Landry’s replacement.

This is true. His athletic score numbers were so low I had written him off.

Thinking the same thing ...

Joe Jurevicious

Bell will have to be schemed to get open. He should easily slide into that
#3 WR spot .

It's official ... this Draft stinks.

We are back to the Ray Farmer days.

I really like this pick. Bell is a very good receiver, and should be a good fit. I do have a feeling that he will be Landry's replacement.

j/c...

[video:youtube][/video]

He doesn't have the measurables, but I agree w/this take. Some guys can rack up catches. He will never be dynamic, but he can be a contributor.

Being an Indiana grad who dislikes anything Purdue...yikes...I can't believe I'm going to say it...I lllliii...I don't dislike this pick. I can't say it!!!!

All kidding aside Bell could be our Edelman-type receiver. I believe Cleveland will like this kid over time. This kid is a technical receiver. He does everything right. It just doesn't show up in the stat columns.

This is a G.R.E.A.T pick ....

This draft hasn't gone the way I imagined. I think in 2 years time everyone will love this pick.

Sucks.
Keeps good players off the team.
Frismond Jackson memories.
What Brandon Weeden was to an all decade Qb's list.
Craig Ehlo was to an NBA all time list.
Front office can't see the forest for the trees. Toxic relationship.

"I will go down with this ship, and I won't throw my hands up in surrender, there will be no white flag above my door"
" I'd catch a grenade for ya, jump in front of a train for ya, yes I would go through all of this pain, but they'll never ever do the same"

Welcome to Cleveland. You Suck! How does a player wind up in Purdue.
How does a player end up in Cleveland for that matter.
Last straw Berry! Last! straw.

Did you watch any game that David Bell ever played in for Purdue?



As for that - you should ask Drew Brees, he'd be in a position to know.

My comp for David Bell was Mushin Muhammad...nicely built WR, who does everything well on the field, just suffers from having slower feet...I thought Bell was in the mix of top 3 most NFL ready WRs heading into the draft.

Overall a solid pick. Though not fast, he has a knack for getting open and making catches in traffic.

It's nice to have a guy who can go yard, but IMO more important to have a guy who can move chains. Bell can move chains.

Dang. This guy is as slow as Jerry Rice... and Cooper Kupp.

Good hands. Good route runner. Chain mover.

We emphasized speed last year but not at all this draft

If a guy can get open and catch, speed isn't all that important. If a guy can get open, catch the ball and take it 50 yards to the house, that's great. If he can get open, catch it and "only" run 15-20 yards before being caught, I am pretty darn happy with that. Dish me up some more.

GREAT Hands!
He had 11 drops in a 3 year career.
We've had MI receivers who had that many in a single game....well Hands of Stone had 6 but....
Landry won't be back as we now have a younger, healthier 2.0 version.

Dude has more circus catches on that reel than I think I’ve ever seen on a college reel. I actually love the way he plays on that video, very forceful and smart. Might get more push-off and offensive interference on the next level but he’s scrappy and clearly knows where he is in space

I love Bells attitude when the ball is in the air.

I don't know how well he will translate to the NFL, but that tape made him look like Jarvis Jr.

Yea, he looked real good in the video and made some nice moves after the catches.

Didn't think I needed any purple for that one.

Jerry Rice 4.71

Cooper Kupp 4.62

David Bell 4.65

Get open catch the ball or be covered and still catch the ball.

That’s a big Jarvis right there. 212 lbs? For your slot guy?? Yes, please. That video, which I know is a highlight reel, showed a guy who can spot a ball and keep it in his sight until it hits his hands. And, them’s some sticky hands.

Considering where this kid was drafted there is no reason to dislike this pick. I've stated many times on this board that being a good WR isn't so much about speed unless all you are trying to do is run post routes. Great route running and good hands are the two things that count the most. This kid seems to possess both. He may end up being one of the great value picks in the draft.

Rashard Higgins replacement.

He's better than Higgy. Not by tons, but better.

If this kid would have ran a sub 4.4 40 he would have been a mid to late 1st round pick he is very good ...

I agree. I don't see him as a Landry replacement in 2022. If he develops he may be a future starter. As of now he is the Higgins replacement and hopefully upgrade. I liked Higgins but wheter it was him or his coaches he seemed to disappear for times in his career here. Hopefully Bell is more consistent.

I seem more of a Landry replacement. Primarily a slot with solid hands.

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.

He was inconsistent

Against UConn he had 3 TD's the only 3 TD game of the season

He also only went over 200 yards in a game twice (vs Iowa and vs Mich St)

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.

Bell is one of those guys that does not jump off the screen. However, he was really productive in college.

Hard to guess about him in the NFL. I mean Schwartz's speed does not make him get open. Jarvis was a 4.77 guy. He made a lot of catches and has been to to a number of pro bowls.

A lot will be dependent upon Watson. Good route runners who can make contested catches can have great careers.

We shall see how he does.

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.

j/c,

Bell is a possession receiver, which term seems to be lost on a new generation of football fans, but they have always had a place in the League.

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..

As usual with most football I agree with what you have assessed. I remember being impressed by Bell but for some reason that feeling went away last season but I think it was more his environment to succeed last season was not there.

I too think he's a perfect piece of the puzzle and a young "FASTER" WR than Landry of course he doesn't have the experience but he is a good route runner I love his hands and he can get some powerful YAC and catch everything - a good weapon.

I am very happy with the pick. You want and like speed then look for Schwartz but I will take great hands over speed in shorts. On tape in especially earlier years Bell looked faster than his 40 time. He can get separation for you.
good pick considering all the WRs taken before him.

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."

Bell is my pick for becoming our most productive rookie. Not that my choice means much. LOL

I was listening to a CBD podcast and Bell was being interviewed and Nathan Z had a very interesting stat. He pointed out that when Purdue and Bell played Northwestern with Greg Newsome, the number of catches Bell had against Newsome was 40% of the entire career total of catches Newsome gave up. That is one game and it account for that high of a percent. That sounds impressive.

Bell will be just fine.

We have talked about OROY. Bell could be that if the team decides to put him in that position. Sometimes players aren't stars, they are made stars. Bell could be one of those guys who gets the ball and he ends up with 80 receptions as a rookie. Look at Kupp. When he came out he wasn't seen as a star player. Today, every team in the league would love to have him in their starting lineup.

If you can catch the ball, you can catch the ball. QB's and coaches love that. If it's 3rd and 9, coaches call plays that favor the guy who can catch and QB's look for the guy who can catch. Those factors are 2/3 of the recipe.

Wow. That's worth reading twice... Much was made of Newsome's other-worldly "shutdown" numbers -- here was his kryptonite.

When Kupp came out the general consensus was that he may not have first round physical talent, but was a football player. Welker and Edelman were the comparisons.

It has proven to be accurate.

Bell is seen as a football player. Heck they are football players!

My point is he was drafted in the 3rd round. If teams though he was going to be a good as he has played, he would have probably been the 1st receiver drafted in the 1st round. Heck, maybe a top 3 pick.

\\

It was actually very tough to write. I retyped it several times trying to make it easier to read. When I heard it I was impressed and Bell even replied he felt he had a bad game because it was "only" 9 catches fro 70+ yards.

Calling a player a “Football Player” is generally a nice way to say that the person in question may not have the measurable to make them a first round draft choice but they have the intangibles that make they valuable on the field. Think Brian Sipe and Wes Welker.

I understand that.