Saban, other evaluators effusive about new Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell
Of the Dolphins’ 13 draft picks, receiver Chris Bell was the only one drafted significantly later than where he was projected, a byproduct of his late-season ACL injury. He’s also the only one who is expected to be sidelined when the team hold a rookie minicamp on Friday.
But he also might represent Miami’s best chance to find a longterm starting receiver from this draft class.
“He’s a real bargain,” ESPN analyst and former Alabama coach Nick Saban said of Miami landing him at 94 in the draft.
Though he was taken 19 spots after Miami drafted Texas Tech’s Caleb Douglas, Bell was widely considered the better prospect, a player who ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said was viewed as a potential first-rounder before the knee injury in November.
He was spectacular last season, winning first-team All-ACC honors after producing 72 receptions for 917 yards (12.7 per catch), and six receiving TDs in 11 games.
“He was outstanding, much more consistent catching the ball this year,” Kiper said. “He does a great job in contested situations. He could use a little more polish as a route runner. The Pitt game, he was uncoverable. With that size [nearly 6-2], that speed, he can take a short pass and turn it into a big play. They can afford to medically redshirt Chris Bell this year and get him ready for the 2027 season.”
But general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan suggests that won’t be necessary. He said Bell is recovering well and is expected to play this season, though he has cautioned that Miami is also playing the long game with him and will be patient. His agent told NFL Network that his surgeon said he’s ahead of schedule, already running 18 mph and expects to be ready by the start of the season.
There’s no question about the talent. Two ESPN analysts — Saban and Booger McFarland — compared him to Eagles Pro Bowl receiver AJ Brown. So did East-West Shrine Bowl football operations director Eric Galko during my conversation with him last week.
Saban was particularly effusive:
“This guy is a dawg,” the former Alabama coach said. “He reminds me of AJ Brown. Strong, powerful, killer instinct mentality wise. This guy is a strong runner, hard to tackle. I know this guy needs to clean up his hands and his route running and all that, but this guy is a dawg.”
More reaction on Bell:
▪ McFarland: “At his best, he reminds you of AJ Brown — that physical, big thick upper-body build. He’s explosive. He’s not defined as a route runner. But he’s going to be tough for DBs to handle. Nobody is going to want to press man this young man because of his upper-body strength.”
▪ ESPN’s Louis Riddick: “He’s going to run away from man coverage. He’s going to break arm tackles across the field and then kick in the afterburners. It’s just a matter of when he’s going to be available.”
▪ ESPN’s Field Yates: “The talent is too good to ignore. Some of the route running impresses me. I love and appreciate this wide receiver.”
▪ ESPN’s Desmond Howard: “He can build up speed on crossing routes, which allows him to break a lot of tackles. He has a big NFL body who can produce big plays. He is a legitimate dawg.”
▪ NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah: “If he didn’t have the ACL, he had a chance to be a first-round pick. When he gets the ball in his hands, he’s fast for a guy carrying around 220-plus pounds. When he gets vertical, he can go. Hopefully that knee comes back healthy.”
▪ NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein was a bit less bullish, forecasting him as a potentially decent No. 2 or No. 3: “Bell’s scores frequently came as a move target across the hashes, where he was able to use impressive build-up speed to eliminate angles and outrun everyone in the secondary to the paint.
“He’s average at eluding press and separating from tight man underneath. Improving his catch focus and positioning when contested will be critical. Bell lacks dynamic qualities, and his ACL tear could impact his draft slotting, but he’s a big, physical target with room to improve. He has a chance to become an average WR2/3 in time.”
Here is analyst feedback on Douglas, the first of the three receivers that the Dolphins drafted.
Here’s what Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said about Bell and Douglas.
This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 9:42 AM.
