To say that the Indianapolis Colts have been quiet this offseason would be a bit of an understatement. Clearly, they prioritized re-signing Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones, and with no first-round pick because of the Sauce Gardner trade, the roster might look quite similar to last season's.
However, just because they won't pick any player in the first 32, that doesn't mean they can't get a potential star on Day 2. In fact, they might even get a top-20 talent who may slip because of injury concerns.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Louisville star wide receiver Chris Bell, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury, is ahead of schedule in his recovery and might be right back in multiple teams' big boards.
Chris Bell might be the steal of the draft at No. 47
"Louisville WR Chris Bell, who was widely considered a top-20 pick before suffering an ACL injury in November, is progressing ahead of schedule and is now running and jumping," Schultz wrote.
Bell is a 6-foot-2, 225-pound physical specimen with a projected sub-4.3 40-yard dash speed. He's already met with multiple teams, and his tape and production suggest he can be a star at the next level.
That said, multiple teams might still pass because of injury concerns, especially considering how deep this wide receiver class is. With guys like Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, Denzel Boston, and KC Concepcion all likely to go either in the first round or early in the second, the table is set for Bell to slip to the middle of the second round and right into the Colts' laps.
The Colts traded Michael Pittman Jr. as a salary-cap casualty. They signed former Miami Dolphins WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, but he only had 11 receptions for 89 yards and no scores last season, so he may not be much of a factor. Alec Pierce is the ultimate deep ball specialist, but the Colts don't have much besides him and Josh Downs.
Bell averaged 5.2 yards after the catch per reception and a whopping 2.55 yards per route run. He only dropped three passes for a 4 percent drop rate, forced nine missed tackles, and had a contested catch rate of 50 percent, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Quarterbacks had a passer rating of 109.7 when targeting him, and he averaged 12.7 yards per reception.
While there will always be concerns with players coming off major injuries, he was durable for most of his collegiate career, and he has the explosiveness and the athletic traits to be worth the gamble in the middle of the second round.
The NFL Draft is all about finding value, especially when you don't have a first-round selection, and Bell could be one of the biggest steals of 2026 if other teams are too scared to roll the dice on him.