Browns add to WR group with David Bell in 3rd round

The Cleveland Browns selected Purdue wide receiver David Bell in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, No. 99 overall.

Bell is the first offensive player Cleveland's taken. It selected cornerback Martin Emerson and defensive end Alex Wright in the third round.

The Browns needed to find more weapons for new quarterback Deshaun Watson. Cleveland traded for Amari Cooper, but the veteran and Donovan Peoples-Jones are the team's only established wideouts.

While Bell doesn't possess strong physical traits, he put up monster numbers while with the Boilermakers. The 21-year-old racked up 93 catches for 1,286 yards and six touchdowns in 2021, pushing his career production to 232 catches for 2,946 yards and 21 scores.

Scouting profile: David Bell

Bell's profile brings us back to the debate between college production and athletic testing. As a three-year starter at Purdue, he was an innate playmaker who could win all over the field with quality routes, powerful hands, and above-average ball skills. In 29 games with the Boilermakers, he averaged over 100 receiving yards per game. Shockingly, he followed that up with some extremely poor athletic testing at the NFL combine. Athletic measurables arguably matter less for certain types of receivers, but regardless, it planted a seed of doubt as to whether Bell can operate as effectively against the top-tier athletes on NFL defenses.