The closer we get to NFL Draft Day, the better read we can get on which way a team might go early. For the New Orleans Saints, who currently hold pick No. 8, that isn\u2019t necessarily true.<\/p>\n
As of late Sunday, the odds are shifting toward the team taking a wide receiver \u2013 either Ohio State\u2019s Carnell Tate, if he\u2019s still available, or Arizona State\u2019s Jordyn Tyson. However, if the Saints go a different route and either trade up for Jeremiyah Love or go defense, it would be a huge surprise if they didn\u2019t go wide receiver in the second round.<\/p>\n
And among those who might be available, there has been a decent amount of talk surrounding Louisville\u2019s Chris Bell.<\/p>\n
Fans of the Black and Gold who are hoping the Saints go either Caleb Downs, Rueben Bain or LSU\u2019s Mansoor Delane, are dreaming of the possible selection of Bell at pick No. 42. It has been a high topic of conversation on the Dattitude Podcast, and among \u201cexperts,\u201d who think it\u2019s a no-brainer, since he was a teammate of current New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough.<\/p>\n
Last year as a senior, Bell finished with 72 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns, but he was effective in his junior year with Shough, as well. In 2024, he caught 43 passes for 737 yards \u2013 a 17.1 yard-per-catch average \u2013 with four touchdowns.<\/p>\n
Bell hails from Yazoo City, Miss., where he was a state track champion in the 200 meters, and if he were to come to New Orleans, he immediately would become the likely candidate to be WR2 next to Chris Olave.<\/p>\n
In fact, Bell is so talented, it is not out of the question that even if the Saints draft Tate or Tyson in Round 1, that they potentially could come back to Bell in the second round.<\/p>\n
“I’m still that dog. I’m still that guy. I’m still that beast that you see on the field. “<\/p>\n
Louisville WR Chris Bell<\/p>\n
Like Tyson, though, he also is dealing with a major injury, as he had surgery this past November to repair a torn ACL, which cut his season short. However, at his Combine interview in February, he said<\/a>: “Don’t let this injury fool you. I’m still that dog. I’m still that guy. I’m still that beast that you see on the field. Just give me time, and I’ll be back right.” <\/p>\n Last year, the Saints ranked 23rd overall in yards per game in offense, but improved greatly the final half of the season after Shough took the reins from Spencer Rattler. In fact, they finished 13th in the NFL in receiving yards per game, and that is despite not having a true No. 2 or No. 3 receiver.<\/p>\n
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