Pack-A-Day: Your Daily Packers Podcast

Packers Draft Primer - Chris Bell - WR - Louisville

10 min
Apr 2, 2026about 2 months ago
Listen to Episode
Summary

Ross Uglum analyzes Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell as a potential Green Bay Packers draft prospect, highlighting his physical frame, blocking ability, and YAC skills while addressing significant concerns about his ACL injury, lack of athletic testing data, and similarities to underperforming prospect Savion Williams.

Insights
  • ACL injuries late in the season create uncertainty around redshirt requirements and immediate roster availability, but don't disqualify prospects from Green Bay's evaluation process
  • Lack of combine and pro day athletic testing data limits objective assessment; teams must rely on film study and internal testing conducted by the prospect's college program
  • Physical receiver archetypes with limited route-running ability and concentration drop issues require significant schematic investment to maximize value
  • Green Bay's historical willingness to redshirt and develop injury-prone prospects suggests organizational patience with high-ceiling but high-risk draft picks
  • Roster depth concerns at wide receiver (potential departures of Wicks and Reed) may create opportunity for developmental prospects despite positional redundancy with Savion Williams
Trends
NFL teams increasingly relying on college-conducted athletic testing when combine/pro day participation is unavailablePhysical receiver archetypes gaining draft capital despite limited receiving skills in modern passing offensesACL injuries no longer automatic disqualifiers; teams evaluating redshirt feasibility and long-term value over immediate impactSchematic versatility becoming more valuable than traditional receiving skills for larger receiver prospectsMedia monetization challenges forcing sports analysis platforms toward paywall models similar to traditional sports journalism
Companies
Pack Report
Sports analysis website run by host Ross Uglum featuring film breakdowns and draft content behind paywall
The Athletic
Referenced as example of major sports media outlet operating behind paywall model
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Local sports journalism outlet mentioned as operating behind paywall for Green Bay Packers coverage
University of Louisville
Chris Bell's college program; referenced for internal athletic testing data and prospect evaluation
People
Chris Bell
Louisville WR being evaluated for 2025 NFL Draft; suffered ACL injury late in 2025 college season
Ross Uglum
Host and publisher of Pack Report analyzing Chris Bell as potential Green Bay Packers draft prospect
Jair Alexander
Recent Louisville prospect drafted by Green Bay; referenced as precedent for evaluating Louisville players
Savion Williams
Current Packers roster player with similar skill set to Chris Bell; concerns about redundancy
Mark Eccleston
Pack Report contributor whose film analysis content is behind paywall
Quotes
"He's physical with his release packages, does a good job of creating separation or at least being physical at the top of the route and at the catch point."
Ross UglumEarly analysis section
"If you can get him the ball in space, he's a really really good YAC player. Large catch radius and makes good adjustments to poor throws."
Ross UglumStrengths discussion
"We don't know what we don't know. We don't know what he runs in the 40. We don't know what he runs in the L drill."
Ross UglumAthletic testing concerns
"Not that many six foot two 222 pound wide receivers around that will run block like he will."
Ross UglumPackers fit analysis
"I don't like older prospects that are ineffective as rookies. It's just me."
Ross UglumSavion Williams comparison
Full Transcript
What is up packers fans welcome back to the daily draft. I'm your co excuse me. I'm your host and the publisher of pack report Ross Uglum today. We are brought to you by the Green Bay draft I powered by pack report use promo code draft for 10% off that guy linked in the podcast description and link right below if you are in the YouTube channel Today we were talking about an interesting prospect and that is Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell. I think the most notable thing unfortunately about Chris Bell Is that and we'll talk about it in the cons that he tours ACL late in the 2025 season Mr. Combine don't know if he's gonna be ready for the year all those things Why are we talking about Chris Bell? Well number one because he's got a great frame. He has a packer size frame at six foot 2222 He's big. He's physical. He will block Physical throughout the route and at the catch point. So I think he's physical with his release packages Does a good job of creating separation or at least being I won't say creating separation I will say he's physical at the top of the route and at the catch point That that is noticeable Production increased throughout his college career. That's good. You want to see guys that are getting better as they make their way to the NFL Really good if you can get him the ball in space like a very very good yak player and and as you might think As corners and safeties, they're not trying to tackle guys that are six foot 222 That's not what they're getting paid to do, right? So If you can get him the ball get him ahead of steam. He's a really really good Yak player large catch radius and makes good adjustments to poor throws. I did notice that And then I think speed and overall athleticism again, we don't have any data. We'll get to that in a second Speed overall athleticism to me look above average at worst to just good on film We won't ever get a razz card because he's not gonna work at a pro day. He's not gonna work at The combine obviously that already happened and he didn't work there. So you just have to go off what you what you see on film I'm sure the Packers have whatever numbers Louisville kept Not that these schools keep every single number that you do it or every single drill that you do at the combine But I would guess that that Louisville knows what he runs a 40 and I would guess that Louisville knows What he runs a three cone and like these things are things that these programs also want to know and You know, I Green Bay would have access to that information Guys, we're brought to you today also by Pack report that is the website that I run and we have some great people writing there and the number one way to support them Is to become a VIP? We've already always got a sweet discount around an annual or you can try us for a month for a dollar Really really great perks come with that you get behind anything that we have behind a paywall My film stuff is always behind the paywall Mark Eccleston stuff is always behind the paywall. I'm gonna have some draft specific stuff that's behind the paywall I know the paywall thing gets frustrating but like the whole athletic is behind a paywall, you know I'm pretty sure Milwaukee Journal sent an all Green Bay Prescasette behind a paywall It just it's a hard time in media. It is the way that we make money I know it sucks I wish that we had enough traffic and enough advice and all those things to just write and write and write and not have To ask you guys for a nickel not the way it is. I apologize for that, but to support us, please become a pack report VIP I would appreciate the hell out of it Now stepping off my soapbox and talking about the cons again Taurus ACL late in the 2025 season has to be talked about has to be discussed You know, are you gonna have to redshirt him? How much is he gonna? You know if he misses all of camp like again, how much are you gonna have to redshirt him? How much are you gonna be able to if you have injuries at the wide receiver position? I'm talking about the Green Bay Packers. You have three guys go down. Can you play Chris Bell? I Think it would have to be a pretty limited package Part of the ACR LTR again is we don't have reliable athletic testing. We're counting on stuff that maybe Louisville did in 2024 Like and again Green Bay might have a completely in the rest of the school or excuse me Pro teams might have a great understanding of what he can do and and might have a full Cheat sheet of you know spark or Raz or whatever it is that they do But we don't we don't know so we don't know what we don't know I think he seems like a linear player with questions about agility and short area quickness That's what I see if I'm judging him as an athlete I don't think he does a great job creating a lot of separation again big player Get him the ball in space watch him run through tackles vertical thread all those things route runner. I don't know about that Not a natural catcher of the football I don't have the drop rate written down, but it's just like there's stuff that gets to his chest. There's concentration drops He's not a Handsy guy. I don't think as far as from what I've seen and you know finally again We don't know what we don't know we don't know what he runs in the 40 We don't know what he runs in the L drill. We don't know how explosive is we don't know we can think from what we see on film and The film is always always always the most important part But we just don't know what we don't know Diving into the Packers fit it up fit, you know, it is It makes sense for them and what they normally want He's on the daily draft list because I think there's a chance he becomes a Green Bay Packer Not that many six foot two 222 pound wide receivers around not that many wide receivers around that will run block like he will They've taken guys from Louisville before Most notably recently Jair Alexander So they know right what the deal is there. They've taken injury concern guys before they've taken red shirt guys before They just basically red shirted John Williams and kind of red shirted Colin Oliver I know I played a little bit but kind of red shirted Colin Oliver from last year's class So the the fact that he might not have an immediate impact on the team Yeah, it knocks him down or half around or around or what have you but it does not scratch him off the Packers board It's not how they operate. I Think they can afford to red shirt him, especially if they just IRM or pup him or whatever They right now can barely even sign you at EFA's they have so many guys on the roster So it might be a situation where if you really really like him you can stash him If You know worse comes to worse and Wicks and read both walk and you only extend Watson. Well, you know, then you'd have Watson Bell Golden Savion you'd have Something I don't know what you'd have but you'd have something my last point and I just spoke his name is He reminds me too much of Savion Williams at this point who number one has not worked out now No guarantees, but he was an older prospect. He was ineffective as a rookie I don't like older prospects that are ineffective as rookies. It's just me and It's also on the roster already So even if all of the things that you want Savion Williams to do and be and although, you know works out You still have Savion Williams, so I I Ross would not take another player so similarly skilled so much to me where it's like K We need to manufacture touches get him in space have him break tackles throw maybe a goal ball here and there but just like Not much of a receiver more of a weapon and If you lose read and you lose wicks You're starting to lose receivers because he already lost Dobbs who I would definitely call a receiver And how many you know how many weapons that they need to scheme open can they have I? Don't know he grew me wrong So could Savion He's intriguing. That's why he's on the daily draft. That's why he has a prospect primer guys Thanks so much for watching or listening if you are on the podcast side By the guide subscribe to packer report. Have a great rest of your week and go pack go Oh You