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Ronnie Bell NFL Draft Profile
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Ronnie Bell Scouting ReportRonnie plays fast and confident. He covers a lot of ground in the short half of the field and is slippery after the catch. He has very good hands, accepts the ball fluidly on most throws and is ready to make a play afterward. Makes catches in traffic, even going up over taller defenders with vertical and toughness. Bell is fluid athlete with explosive burst and speed to stretch the field and breeze past defenders. Has a quick first step and gets to top speed in a hurry. Has the strong hands any NFL wide receiver coach and quarterback would covet. Tracks the deep ball over either shoulder and brings in passes fluidly without breaking stride downfield. A savvy, natural pass-catcher with reliable hands and very good focus. Snatches the ball out of the air and shows the concentration to make acrobatic catches look easy. He does a nice job locating and tracking deep passes and is a legitimate vertical threat. Willing to go up and attack the ball. Ronnie keeps his feet active and eyes up to dodge traffic quickly and easily. Has excellent straight-line speed to be a breakaway threat at any level. Will initiate contact and runs through high tackle attempts but isn't overall a powerful player. Has elite balance tight-roping the sideline and in-and-out of his breaks, showing excellent start-stop ability and burst. |
Areas for ImprovementDoes not always use his hands to secure deep throws, allowing the ball into his pads and chest. |
Ronnie Bell Career at MichiganMost know how Bell, the 1473rd-ranked player in his class (not a typo), was a random basketball player in Missouri and ended up getting an offer from Michigan. He had a modest impact as a true freshman before blowing up in 2019, leading the team with 48 catches despite playing alongside Collins and Peoples-Jones. This could be seen as an indictment of Shea Patterson and/or the coaching staff, but it should not diminish the importance of Bell. No one is arguing that he is more talented than some of the other receivers he has shared the field with, but there is a very tangible value in having such a dependable receiver. Bell has proven more than capable of doing whatever he is asked while being productive. Bell has only found the end zone four times in his career despite all of his catches, perhaps due to the role he has played. He had an unfortunate drop in 2019’s loss at Penn State but overall has been solid. He is not the biggest target, but an accurate quarterback should not have trouble connecting with him. His 2020 numbers were modest with 26 catches and 401 yards over the six games, but both were easily the best marks on the team. Bell will go down as a fan favorite no matter how the 2021 season goes. From off the recruiting radar to a team-leading receiver, he put up the numbers that his teammates were supposed to while embodying an attitude and spirit that was infectious across the fanbase. There have been plenty of misses at the wide receiver position under Harbaugh, but this has been a huge win. |
Ronnie Bell NFL Draft Player ProfileHis playmaking skills jump off the screen when watching his tape. He also has the ability to pick up lots of yards out of the backfield on screen and swing passes. His route running is smooth and done with a purpose. Combining his elusiveness with his breakaway speed, it is virtually impossible to stop Bell when he gets a head full of steam. One aspect of his route running that jumps off-screen is his ability to find creases in the middle of the field. Along with solid balance control through his routes, Bell is willing and able to make a block in the running game. |
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