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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell sent a message regarding his 2026 NFL Draft slide

Miami Dolphins fans have become all too familiar with the team passing up on major draft talent only for it to come back and haunt them in the future. Perhaps the worst example of this was the 2020 NFL Draft, when the Dolphins could have had the trio of Justin Herbert, Justin Jefferson and Jonathan Taylor, but instead ended up with Tua Tagovailoa, Austin Jackson and Noah Igbinoghene.

Of course, hindsight is 20-20 and you could practically do that exercise for any team’s draft. However, in the case of the 2020 NFL Draft, the three players Miami opted not to select all filled positions of need for Miami’s roster and the three players the Dolphins ended up with ended up disappointing, albeit in different fashions.

Dolphins fans will now hope that under general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, the team had success with its draft, and found value with their selections. One of the selections that drew praise from many was third round pick Chris Bell, who fell in the draft after a late-season ACL injury. Following his selection, Bell sent a strong message about his slide in the draft.

Miami Dolphins’ Chris Bell Sends Strong Message

Regarding his slide in the NFL Draft, Miami Dolphins draftee Chris Bell told the media, “[The injury] had me frustrated [during the draft], just knowing that I was better than some of the guys that went off the board [ahead of me]… I’m just blessed to be in a good position… I’ve been having this [draft eligible receivers] ranking on the front of my home screen since this pre-draft started. 

It’s going to be on my mind. I’m going to write that on my mirror and every day I wake up, I’m going to tell myself, this is how many guys they took before you. This is how long it took you to get drafted. I’m going to show everybody — prove to everybody — like I said, I am who I say I am.“

It is not uncommon for players to use their draft day slides as motivation. One example is Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who memorized the names of all 16 wide receivers selected ahead of him in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

Dolphins fans will hope that Bell’s selection works out as well as it worked for the Detroit Lions when they selected St. Brown. In Bell’s case, 17 wide receivers were selected ahead of him, including his new teammate Caleb Douglas, which Miami selected earlier in the third round.

Chris Bell Prospect Profile

The Ringer’s Todd McShay did not agree with 17 receivers being drafted ahead of Bell, as he ranked Bell as his ninth-best receiver in this year’s draft class. Regarding him as a prospect, McShay wrote:

“Bell is a physically gifted, big-play receiver whose traits and flashes of production contrast sharply with his rawness and inconsistency, making him a true boom-or-bust prospect. A four-year player at Louisville, he showed steady statistical growth, culminating in 917 yards in just 11 games in 2025 before a late-season ACL tear (which clouds his availability for the start of his rookie year).

At his best, Bell looks the part: He’s got a strong build, big hands, impressive body control, and real run-after-the-catch explosiveness with a noticeable second gear. He catches cleanly and transitions smoothly upfield, showing strength through contact and the ability to create chunk plays. His hands improved in 2025 (just three drops), though his contested-catch success (50 percent) doesn’t fully match his physical profile.”