New Orleans Saints Draft Prospects: Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
Wide receiver is a need for the New Orleans Saints but since the no. 1 priority is to build a strong defense they might target this position later in the draft. Here you have a draft profile of a nice sleeper wideout who can replace Kenny Stills, now with the Miami Dolphins.
Kenny out, Kenny in.
The “Afro Thunder” would add some quality depth to the Saints’ wide receiver group and he could also be a “cheap” addition as he is projected to be drafted in the 4th or 5th round. The Saints could very well use one of their two 5th-round picks (148th overall and 154th overall) on Bell. Let’s see in detail what Bell brings to the table.
NFL scouting combine measurables:
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 197 LBS
Arm Length: 31 5/8 inches
Hands: 9 1/4 inches
40-yard dash: 4.42 secs
Bench press (225 LBS): 7 reps
Vertical jump: 41.5 inches
Broad jump: 129 inches
Three cone drill: 6.66 secs
20-yard shuttle: 4.15 secs
60-yard shuttle: 11.60 secs
From Huskers.com:
"Senior Kenny Bell completed the most productive receiving career in Nebraska history in 2014. The 6-1, 185-pound Bell ascended to the top of the school’s career charts for receptions and receiving yards in 2014, while continuing to provide an explosive threat for the Husker offense.Bell’s impact on the Nebraska offense was recognized in postseason honors. The league’s coaches selected Bell as a first-team All-Big Ten pick, marking the first all-conference first-team receiver for Nebraska since Jon Bostick in 1991. Bell was an honorable-mention all-conference choice by the media.Bell finished his Nebraska career with 181 career receptions surpassing Nate Swift’s previous school record of 166 receptions. Bell totaled 2,689 receiving yards in his NU career, bettering Johnny Rodgers’ previous record of 2,479 career receiving yards.As a senior, Bell led Nebraska with 47 receptions for a team-high 788 yards, an average of 16.8 yards per catch. Bell’s 787 yards ranked as the seventh-best single season total in school history. Bell had a pair of 100-yard receiving games in 2014, giving him five in his career. Bell was also the first player at Nebraska with more than 400 receiving yards for four straight seasons."
From NFL.com:
"2014: First-team All-Big Ten. Played in all 13 games with 12 starts. Led team in receptions, yards and TD. 2013: Honorable mention All-Big Ten. Played all 13 games with 12 starts. Led team in receptions and kick return yards. 2012: Second-team All-Big Ten. Started all 14 games. 2011: Played in all 13 games with 11 starts. 2010: Redshirted."
Coming from a run-heavy offense Bell may not seem like a great fit in Sean Payton’s system but I believe that his skill set is valuable in any offense. NFL coaches will love his willingness and ability to sustain blocks in the running game. Bell’s athleticism is a great asset (he was a top performer in a few drills at the combine, such as the vertical jump, the broad jump and the three cone drill) and his hands are above-average.
His route tree is still limited and he might struggle to create separation against bigger corners because of his thin frame but Bell is able to win a lot of 50-50 balls nevertheless. Big play ability is there and that’s why he could be used in a Kenny Stills-type of role in the Saints’ offense.
Next: Saints Draft Prospects - WR Devin Smith