Vikings UDFA Receiver Dillon Bell is a Major Riser From OTAs

If there was one winner from the two Vikings OTA practices that were open to the media, it's probably quarterback Kyler Murray, who offered an emphatic reminder that J.J. McCarthy is not on his level at this moment in time. Then again, maybe that shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone, given the résumés of the two QBs.

The next-biggest winner might just be undrafted rookie wide receiver Dillon Bell, who was one of Murray's favorite targets over the course of both open practices. Bell had a sequence in the May 27 practice where he caught passes from Murray on back-to-back reps in 7-on-7: an intermediate crossing route toward the sideline and then an in-breaker over the middle. Then, on June 4, that same thing happened again, with Murray finding Bell for downfield chunks on two straight plays to different sides of the field.

#Vikings QB Kyler Murray dropped it in the bucket to Dillon Bell yesterday.

🎥: @Vikings via IG pic.twitter.com/7GYlgM6YF2
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) May 28, 2026

Because we only saw two of the six OTAs, it's hard to know how productive Bell was in the other four sessions. But those two sequences alone said a lot. For an undrafted rookie to earn targets from a seven-year veteran QB like Murray says that he's running the right routes, generating separation, and being trusted to catch the ball when it arrives. That's a very promising early development, and it'll be fun to keep an eye on No. 89 at three straight open minicamp practices this week.

Bell, a Houston native, chose Georgia over a long, impressive list of offers coming out of high school in 2022. But while he had a solid career in Athens, he never truly took off from a statistical standpoint. He had 512 yards from scrimmage on 29 receptions and 25 carries in 2023. He followed that up with 573 yards on 43 catches and 9 carries a year later, with five touchdowns. Instead of climbing, his production dropped to 377 yards on 44 touches as a senior.

Bell finished his four-year career with a 119-1269-11 receiving line in 56 games. That's just 22.7 receiving yards per game. He also added 373 rushing yards on 51 carries and scored 16 total touchdowns in a Georgia uniform. Given those numbers and his modest 4.5 speed at 6'1" and 209 pounds, it's no surprise Bell didn't hear his name called over the course of the draft's seven rounds.

Nonetheless, when looking beyond the box score, there are reasons to believe Bell's game might translate well to the NFL. He's an explosive athlete, as shown in his 10-yard split and his vertical and broad jump numbers. PFF charted Bell with 14 contested catches on 25 opportunities over the past two seasons, which is a strong success rate. He's also a willing and able run blocker, which is critical.

Bell's mediocre raw numbers can't be thrown out as a data point, but context is required in all evaluation. Early in his career, he shared an offense with Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey. Last season, Zachariah Branch dominated target share for Georgia. During Bell's career, the Bulldogs went 53-6 and were frequently in game scripts that didn't require heavy pass rates. Bell was also never a full-time player, seeing between 400-600 offensive snaps per season. It's possible he could've put up much bigger numbers on a different team, in a different kind of offensive role.

Steve Smith Sr., the 16-year NFL receiver who is now an analyst, was a big fan of Bell's throughout the pre-draft process. Smith believes Bell has real NFL upside and wasn't able to show off his full abilities at Georgia while running a limited route tree in a run-heavy offense. Smith has also criticized Georgia QB Gunner Stockton, even though he finished seventh in Heisman voting last year.

Watching the film, @SteveSmithSr89 has a point. https://t.co/VOcVRKKRE4 pic.twitter.com/JqklWKYk0S
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) April 28, 2026

The Vikings' top three wide receivers are set in stone with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings. After that, it's anyone's guess. Tai Felton and Myles Price are the presumptive fourth and fifth receivers to make the team, given their roles on special teams and Felton's third-round draft pedigree. But neither one is a true lock to make the roster. And even if both do, the Vikings could certainly keep six receivers if Bell (or someone else) earns a spot.

At the very least, Bell feels like a sure thing to make the Vikings' practice squad. He's off to a great start as an undrafted rookie and is someone to keep in mind as we move through minicamp, training camp, and the preseason.

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