Skyler Bell WR UConn |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #1 ROLE: Multi-Role Receiver | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/23/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.40 seconds (84%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #1 | |
| ROLE: Multi-Role Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 03/23/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.40 seconds (84%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |
| Overall Rating: | 84.7 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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68% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 119.7 | |
| Hands: |
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73% |
| Short Receiving: |
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78% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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80% |
| Deep Threat: |
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80% |
| Blocking: |
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36% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#84
Position rank:
#14 (WR)
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| College Games: 51 College Snaps: 2334 | ||
ESPN RATING: 77/100
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247 RATING: 86/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.5 (90%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Williams - Washington State |
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92% |
| Jalen Royals - Utah State |
|
87% |
| Luke McCaffrey - Rice |
|
75% |
Drafted: ROUND: 4 - Pick Number: 125 (BUF)
Draft Profile: Bio
COVID-19 wiped out his senior season at The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, but Skyler Bell had already shown enough as a junior with 34 catches for 534 yards and seven touchdowns to sign with Wisconsin as a three-star recruit. The Bronx native redshirted in 2021, then started 12 of 13 games in 2022, finishing with 30 catches for 444 yards and five scores, earning honorable mention Freshman All-American honors from CFB News.His 2023 season at Wisconsin was quieter, with 38 receptions for 296 yards and one touchdown. Bell entered the transfer portal and landed at UConn, where his career shifted. In 2024 he led the Huskies with 860 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 50 catches, highlighted by a 153-yard, three-score game against Buffalo.
The 2025 season put Bell on the national map. He finished with 101 receptions for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns, becoming UConn's first consensus All-American and a Biletnikoff Award finalist. He earned invitations to both the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl, then posted a 41-inch vertical and 11-foot-1 broad jump at the NFL Combine.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Explosive lower half confirmed at the Combine; vertical and broad jump both tested near the top of the class.
- Plays to his timed speed on tape, stacking corners vertically and pulling away in the open field.
- Sharp hip sink at route stems opens consistent throwing windows underneath and on digs.
- Outstanding after-the-catch production, averaging over eight YAC per reception in 2025.
- Throttle control and tempo changes within routes make him a tough cover in man.
- Good hand size for his frame helps him secure the ball in traffic and on contested grabs.
- Versatile alignment, working from the slot and outside with nearly equal comfort.
- Cut his drop rate drastically in 2025 after battling concentration issues in prior seasons.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Undersized frame with below-average weight and arm length for the position at the NFL level.
- Physical press corners can disrupt his release and knock him off his route timing.
- Career drop history is a concern despite the 2025 improvement being real.
- Gets bumped off crossing routes when linebackers or safeties deliver contact at the catch point.
- Contested catch ability is limited by his frame and average catch radius.
- Blocking grade is poor and will need significant development at the next level.
- Will be 24 as a rookie, which limits his developmental runway compared to younger peers.
Scouting Report: Summary
Bell's best role at the next level is as a slot receiver or movement piece in a quick-passing offense. The Combine confirmed what the tape already suggested: this is a twitchy, explosive athlete who can change direction and accelerate out of breaks at a high level. His vertical and broad jump numbers ranked among the best at the position, and that lower-body pop shows up on film when he explodes out of his cuts and creates separation at the stem. Offenses that lean on spacing concepts, RPOs, and designed touches will get the most out of what he does well, and his after-the-catch ability is one of the better traits in this receiver class.The questions are fair, though. His height, weight, and arm length all sit in the bottom third among NFL receiver prospects, and those measurements matter when corners get physical at the line. He needs a scheme that keeps him clean off the snap, whether through bunch formations, motion, or alignment flexibility. The drop history prior to 2025 has to be monitored, because one good year does not erase three inconsistent ones. And his blocking will need real work if he wants early snaps in a run-heavy offense.
Still, the speed and separation skills are genuine, and he showed he could produce against Power Four competition when he went for 107 yards on 11 catches at Syracuse and posted 125 yards and a score against Boston College. He fits as a complementary receiver who can move the chains, provide explosive plays, and contribute on special teams. A West Coast or quick-game scheme that uses motion and designed touches is where he will make his money.
Skyler Bell percentiles vs other Wide Receivers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Skyler Bell (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
72.8
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
15.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.