Dolphins Select Chris Bell in Third Round of 2026 NFL Draft

The Louisville wide receiver was one of the top pass catchers in the ACC and college football as a whole.

Oct 17, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver Chris Bell (0) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Chris Bell might have missed out on being a first round pick, but he did get to hear his name called on day two.

The Louisville wide receiver has been selected by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 94 overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Bell is the first former Cardinal to be selected in this year's draft. He's also the third Louisville player to be drafted in the top-100 under head coach Jeff Brohm, the eighth under Brohm overall, and UofL's 144th all-time NFL Draft selection.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound wideout was one of the top wide receivers in both the ACC and college football as a whole this past season. He not only took home First-Team All-ACC honors, but was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award - and could have been a finalist had an injury not cut his season short.

Starting the first 11 games of the year, Bell caught 72 passes for 917 yards and six touchdowns, all of which led the team. He was sidelined for the Governor's Cup vs. Kentucky and the Boca Raton Bowl vs. Toledo after suffering a torn left ACL in the penultimate game of the regular season at SMU. His 83.4 yards per game finished second in the ACC (FSU's Duce Robinson - 90.1), and 15th in the FBS.

A native of Yazoo City, Miss., Bell made steady improvements in his game during his four years at Louisville. After catching seven passes for 105 yards as a true freshman in 2022, his breakout season came as a sophomore in 2023, when he logged 29 receptions for 407 yards and two scores. He took another step forward as a junior in 2024, finishing with 43 receptions for 737 yards and four touchdowns - all of which were second on the team to First-Team All-ACC wideout Ja'Corey Brooks.

Bell concluded his collegiate career with 151 receptions for 2,166 yards and 12 touchdowns. The reception total is good for 12th all-time program history, while the yardage total comes in at 13th. His 14.3 yards per catch is also ninth amongst UofL receivers with at least 100 receptions.

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