The New Orleans Saints are bringing in Louisville wide receiver and Tyler Shough's former teammate, Chris Bell, in for a top 30 visit. A lot of attention is focused on Jordyn Tyson, Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon, because those are the most likely wide receiver targets at eighth overall. If the Saints go in a different direction in the first round, Bell makes a lot of sense in Round 2.
It's a move Tyler Shough is certainly advocating for. As mentioned earlier, Shough and Bell played together at Louisville during Shough's final collegiate system. Shough obviously valued their chemistry since he's advocating on Bell's behalf to the Saints, per Bell.
That year together also means Kellen Moore and the Saints have already seen plenty of film of Shough throwing to Bell. If you want to know how two would look with the Saints, just look back to 2024. The duo connected 43 times for 737 yards and 4 touchdowns. It was also Bell's most explosive season in terms of yards per catch.
Chris Bell is an ideal top 30 visit for Saints
Bell is currently recovering from a late season ACL tear. With that in mind, he makes perfect sense as a candidate for a Top 30 visit. While Bell could be one of the Saints' favorite prospects, Top 30 visits are often misinterpreted as an indication of who is at the top of a team's draft boards. Oftentimes, these visits are meant to fill in a missing piece of the puzzle, not just familiarize themselves with prospects they already like.
One of those missing pieces is often health. That's likely a big reason Bell is getting this visit. In team facilities, the Saints can get an intimate look at Bell's recovery. They surely checked in on the receiver at the NFL Combine, but they'll get a more in depth evaluation of Bell's health during this visit.
If they need any more information on Bell, the Saints can always just tell their quarterback to come into the office. Shough is clearly already giving ringing endorsements of his former teammate. Beyond just telling the front office Bell is a good player, Shough can also provide insight on the person.
The visit will give you pieces, but there's a reason teams consult former coaches and people close to prospects. You want to get multiple accounts of who they are. Shough was a teammate that can testify to Bell's work ethic