Skyler Bell, WR Connecticut: 2026 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Bell was a three-star recruit from The Taft School in Watertown, Conn. in the class of 2021
Connecticut’s Skyler Bell is a flashy wide receiver prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. If Bell displays growth in the technical areas of his game, he could contend for a third round selection. His playstyle is somewhat volatile but also generates explosive gains.
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Skyler Bell, WR Connecticut: 2026 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Redshirt senior wide receiver from Bronx, N.Y.
Background: Bell was a three-star recruit from The Taft School in Watertown, Conn. in the class of 2021. He was the No. 969 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 993 for On3.com. Bell was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 77 grade out of 100. He transferred from Wisconsin to Connecticut for the 2024 season. His high school senior season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bell made 34 receptions for 534 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior and returned ten kickoffs for 318 yards.
Injuries & Off-Field: Banged up with leg injury vs. Temple (2024)
Awards: 2022 Honorable Mention Freshman All-American (CFB News)
Pros: Experience in the slot and out wide, nice muscle on build, suddenness to separate in routes, snappy cuts on short routes to generate natural separation, well-defined out route, sharp deceleration for comebacks and curls to separate, quick footwork, sinks hips well at stem’s peak, head and shoulder fakes to spin corners, some crazy good route fakes and double moves, killer sluggo, smooth hips to string together multiple fakes on vertical plane, subtle push offs to separate at top of stem, combines tempo with mid-route acceleration to lull and stack off-coverage, build up speed to overtake and stack defenders downfield, sharply snaps off deep routes at high speed, finds soft spots behind second level zones, excellent ball tracking and hand-eye coordination, tracks the ball well over his shoulder, impressive vision after the catch to find YAC, breakaway speed after the catch when in space
Cons: Limited special teams experience, speed is great but not elite, juice off the line is average, needs to hit top speed earlier in routes, too much freelancing at times, takes too long for some routes to develop, spends too much time near LOS at low tempo or in route fakes, needs more short-area quickness on shallow/short routes, limited catch radius, registered five or more drops in each of the past three seasons, instances of ball bouncing off his hands, ball tracking takes noticeable dip in contested catch situations, doesn’t play the ball well through contact, not a natural tackle breaker, lacks mass for tackle breaking, limited elusiveness and twitch, mediocre play strength on stalk blocks
Overview: Bell enters his redshirt senior season with experience playing in the slot and out wide. He also occasionally lines up in the backfield as a running back before going out on a route. Bell’s listed size isn’t impressive, but he’s got a well-defined build with adequate muscle. He possesses average burst off the line of scrimmage but can overtake and stack cornerbacks downfield with his built up speed. Bell lacks elite speed, so he relies on a combination of above average athletic traits and creative route running. His suddenness helps him execute sharp cuts and well-defined routes to create natural separation. He displays quick footwork, natural sink in his hips, and the ability to decelerate sharply, all of which make him difficult to handle on intermediate routes. Bell is a creative route runner with an arsenal of head and shoulder fakes and double moves to force cornerbacks to commit before relocating to open space. His sluggo produced multiple massive plays in 2024. The New York native uses route tempo to draw in cornerbacks before accelerating past them. His quick feet and smooth hips help him string together multiple route fakes or actual cuts while maintaining his momentum. This is especially effective when he’s operating at top speed on routes downfield. When Bell fails to separate, he subtly pushes off the defender to create space at the top of the route’s stem. He does a good job finding and sitting in holes in zone coverage just beyond the defense’s second level. The former Wisconsin transfer needs to become a more disciplined and urgent route runner. He spends too much time freelancing and is patient to a fault when setting up his ideal routes. He must get off the line of scrimmage quicker and hit his top speed earlier in plays. Bell is too relaxed on shallow routes. He tracks the football well but offers a limited catch radius. The former three-star recruit makes difficult catches along the sideline, but he suffers from some inexplicable drops on easy receptions. Bell isn’t built for contested catch situations. He doesn’t perform well when confronted by contact at the catch point. He showcases impressive vision after the catch to locate run lanes and escape for extra yards. When he catches the ball in space, Bell flashes the breakaway speed to challenge pursuit angles and generate explosive gains. He isn’t strong enough to break tackles consistently and relies more on speed than twitch and elusiveness after the catch.
Overall, Bell is a creative, versatile route runner with above average agility and speed to generate natural separation and threaten all three levels of the field. He must become more consistent and refined as a route runner while cutting back on some of his freelancing. Bell could help his case by showcasing more competitive fire in gritty situations, like contested catches and stalk blocks.
Role & Scheme Fit: Slot or Z receiver in an 11-personnel heavy scheme
Round Grade: Late Third to Early Fourth Round
Size: 6'0", 185 lbs. (Unofficial)
Submitted: 06-07-25