LAS VEGAS — Browns fans get their wish: a new wide receiver.
With the 99th pick in the NFL draft, the team took Purdue wideout David Bell. It could provide a much-needed boost to a position group that has lost some of its more well-known names in the last year.
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In three years in West Lafayette, the 6-foot-1, 212-pound Bell caught 232 passes for 2,946 yards (12.7 yards per grab) and 21 touchdowns. He was a three-time All-Big Ten selection, and in 2021 hauled in 93 passes for 1,286 yards and six scores to earn consensus All-America and Big Ten Receiver of the Year honors.
Here's what NFL Network analyst Lance Zierlein had to say about Bell:
"Inside/outside target who is more smooth than sudden in uncovering over the first two levels of the field. Bell is like a crafty pitcher with a limited fastball but a variety of pitches to get hitters out. He wins with process over speed and has an ability to keep man coverage off-balance with rhythmic route-running and detailed footwork. While the tape has several elements to excite the viewer, the lack of functional explosiveness, speed and change of direction he showed at the NFL Scouting Combine simply can't be ignored. He's a willing worker in the middle of the field and has a savvy element to his game, but he'll have to prove he's better than his testing suggested as a Day 3 prospect."
Despite acquiring four-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper from the Dallas Cowboys, the Browns are somewhat bleeding talent at receiver after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. last season and losing Rashard Higgins and (presumably) Jarvis Landry to free agency. 2021's leading receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones returns, although he had only 597 yards a year ago.
Cleveland made three picks in the third round Friday after trading away their first and second-round selections in separate deals with the Houston Texans. No. 99 was a compensatory pick after the Minnesota Vikings hired former Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their general manager.