The aggression the Washington Huskies and head coach Jedd Fisch are displaying on the recruiting trail is something that was missing under the previous coaching staff. The willingness to go after high profile players from across the country is the foundation for elite recruiting classes year in and year out.
While not every recruit will end up a Husky, the staff has locked in visits with some extremely intriguing players, including Mission Viejo High School wide receiver Phillip Bell. As the No. 17 receiver in the country according to the 247 Sports Composite, he would bring plenty to be excited about to a team that is looking for new top targets on the recruiting trail.
Bell racked up over 600 yards last season and added 7 touchdowns to go along with it. For a junior, those are very impressive numbers that he will look to build on going into his final high school season.
Playing for a team like Mission Viejo alongside five-star cornerback Dijon Lee, will only put more eyes on him in 2024 and he could see his stock rise even further.
For most high school players of his size and stature, listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, one would expect him to win primarily with his speed downfield, but his game is much more nuanced than that.
He doesn’t have elite downfield speed and lacks true field stretching ability, however, he more than makes up for it in other ways. It’s rare to find a player of his age and experience who is as productive as him with release moves off the line and moves during his routes.
He understands how to use defenders’ leverage against them and exploit it, which he displays routinely on the goal line, where his team’s obsession with throwing fade routes to him pays off. Bell works his way open very quickly off the snap with excellent short-area quickness.
AG2G! Blessed to be named WR MVP at the Los Angeles Under Amour Camp ! @TheUCReport @UAFootball pic.twitter.com/LZkfLsX9ue
— Phillip Bell III (@phillipbelliii) March 25, 2024
The strengths of his game don’t stop at release moves though, as Bell has made himself lethal after the catch weapon. The ball routinely finds him on screens and jet sweeps that allow him to make defenders miss in the open field. He displays running back-caliber vision at times as he finds creases and explodes through them.
Bell hasn’t developed a full route tree just yet, which is mostly as a consequence of his offense, but with his productivity in other areas, there should be no doubt that he can thrive going forward creating separation from college level defenders.
The final piece of his game that really sticks out is his physicality and body control at the catch point. Many players at the high school level don’t show the willingness to be as competitive as he is when going up for a ball in the air. He can struggle at times to separate on deeper routes, so these traits will serve him very well as he transitions to the college level.
The Huskies locked in his first official visit, which is scheduled for May 31. This will be a very important weekend for the team as they look to make a positive impression on numerous players considering the program, including Lee, four-star linebacker Matai Tagoa’i, and four-star defensive back Adonyss Currie.
Bell would be a massive coup for a Huskies staff that is looking to assert itself as high-level recruiters.