The Cleveland Browns did not select a player in the 2022 NFL draft until the third round. While CB Martin Emerson and DE Alex Wright were the team’s first two players drafted, WR David Bell has a chance to make the biggest immediate impact.
Bell, the Purdue product, has a chance to compete to be the Browns primary slot receiver in 2022. The 21-year-old played full-time for the Boilermakers since arriving as a freshman. In 2019, as an 18-year-old, Bell had 86 receptions for over 1,000 yards with seven touchdowns.
The COVID-shortened 2020 season still produced 53 receptions, 625 yards and eight touchdowns in just six games. Finally, as a 20-year-old (for a majority of the season), Bell turned in 93 catches, 1,286 yards and six touchdowns in 2021.
Now, with Jarvis Landry with the New Orleans Saints and no clear-cut slot receiver to compete with, Bell has a chance to continue to produce but at the NFL level. While it may take some years for Bell to replace Landry, truly, 2022 could be the start of the process.
However, Bell is way down the list for Rookie of the Year according to Tipico Sportsbook:
Cleveland can use Amari Cooper in the slot and test out Jakeem Grant, primarily a kick returner, in the slot but Bell’s primary competition could be Anthony Schwartz. The two third-round picks (last year and this year) have completely different skillsets and could see the field at the same time.
Newly signed tight end David Njoku might be the bigger risk to Bell’s chances for a breakout rookie campaign.
While many of the names higher on the list seem to have a better chance at production, Bell could be a sneaky bet given the other options in the slot for the Browns.