Jets Hosting Projected Day 2 WR on Visit Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

The New York Jets are likely to consider selecting a wide receiver at some point during the 2026 NFL Draft.

Whether it's with their No. 16 pick in the first round or their final pick in the seventh round (No. 242), the Jets will need to take a chance on a pass catcher at some point. New York's offense didn't have a single wide receiver last season with over 400 receiving yards, which they're aiming to improve.

While they could target top talents like Ohio State's Carnell Tate and USC's Makai Lemon, the Jets also have several options in the middle rounds. Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell, a projected Day 2 prospect, is one of those options, and the high-upside receiver is visiting the Jets in Florham Park on Tuesday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Bell could be a long-term playmaker for the Jets

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Louisville wideout Chris Bell (WO03) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

"Louisville WR Chris Bell is at the Jets on a Top 30 visit today, then he has the Colts and Combine Rechecks later in the week," Rapoport wrote. "Bell had surgery for a torn ACL in December, and countless teams have had him in to check on his progress."

The standout wide receiver caught 72 passes for 917 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 11 games last season before suffering an ACL tear in Louisville's 38-6 loss against SMU on November 22. He had back-to-back games of over 100 yards against No. 24 Virginia and No. 2 Miami in October, adding four total touchdowns over those two games. It was a stretch that could have positioned Bell as a first-round draft pick if he hadn't suffered the knee injury.

Despite many questions about his knee injury, Bell is expected to be available during his rookie training camp, a source said — and if he had been healthy for the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Bell would have aimed for a 40-yard dash in the 4.3s.

The Jets hold picks Nos. 33 and 44 in the second round of the draft, but have no selections in the third round, where Bell has recently been projected to go. Choosing the 21-year-old wide receiver at pick No. 44 would make the most sense for the Jets, despite the third-round forecasts.

Bell is a 6-foot-2, 220-pound wide receiver who is impressively quick for his size, and he has also shown a willingness to be physical after the catch, breaking tackles and gaining a few extra yards. His size could give the Jets a way to create mismatches on the outside, either to target the young wide receiver or to give Garrett Wilson a more favorable look pre-snap.