Wide receiver Dillon Bell has been a huge riser throughout the offseason, and he could have a serious impact as a rookie.
Before joining the Minnesota Vikings
, wide receiver Dillon Bell was a young kid growing up in a rough part of Houston
. It was there that he met a young homeless man named Gilbert.
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"In Houston
, there are a lot of homeless people," said Bell
. "When I was young, I stayed in a rough area and I met this one homeless dude named Gilbert. Your parents say not to talk to strangers, but I was at the park, and he was always there. I got to talking to him, and he was actually a cool guy. He told me what happened to him, and I just felt bad.We moved and years later, he was still there."
That meeting would end up changing his perspective on life.
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"I'm in the NFL and also having a business, a shelter for kids. That's what I want to do," said Bell about where he wants to be in 10 years
. "I know I want to have a shelter for kids, that helps homeless kids. I want to run those all across the world. I'm going to do that as soon as I have the money to do that."
Bell grew up with a single mom and six brothers and sisters in Houston, which shaped his future. He ended up getting an opportunity to attend the private Kinkaid High School after going to a public middle school.
That decision ended up getting him more exposure, and his high school career had him playing multiple positions, including wildcat quarterback. That is a big factor in what we see currently with his game.
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Dillon Bell gives the Vikings something they don't have
When the NFL Draft was done, the Vikings had done nothing to address the wide receiver position. It was somewhat of a shock with the Vikings having the unknown Tai Felton
as WR3.
They did sign multiple undrafted free agents at the position, but Bell stood out the most, both in talent and financially. The Vikings guaranteed him a base salary of $247,500 and a $25,000 signing bonus. Those are the kind of guarantees that signal a major investment in Bell. It's the same type of investment they made in players like linebacker Ivan Pace Jr.
, edge rusher Andre Carter II
, and quarterback Max Brosmer
.
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Bell fits into the wide receiver room nicely with his skill set and has an opportunity to make an impact. Felton is his only serious competition for WR4, and he was viewed by many as a disappointment, only making an impact on special teams.
Bell getting on the field is going to stem from his time in high school as a wildcat quarterback: being a yards after catch receiver. At just over 6′ tall and 210 pounds, he is a compact, strong player who is difficult to catch once he hits top speed. Being that he is good as a YAC player, some have labeled him a gadget receiver, but that's not the case. However, you can still use him in those situations with a positive impact. You can see that time as a wildcat quarterback flash on the field.
He is somewhat limited right now as a route runner and needs to improve his nuance. He struggles to create separation on in-breaking routes, which is a staple of Kevin O'Connell's offense. Currently, he is at his best with basic routes like hitches and slants. Bell will need to does a great job of decelerating. That has allowed him to thrive with double moves.
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The fact that Bell has great deceleration bodes well for his development of those skills, especially with Keenan McCardell as the wide receivers coach. For the time being, getting Bell working on slants, screens, deep overs, and crossers are all ones that he can thrive with immediately while developing the entire route tree. He could be especially useful in the red zone in the same wya we discussed Jauan Jennings
: being physical in short spaces.
Bell not having a ton of special teams ability could be a hindrance for his chances to make the roster, but he can always develop that aspect of his game during training camp.
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The one major holdup for Bell is simple: he never produced in college. Despite playing extensively across his four seasons, his best statistical season was as a junior, with 43 receptions for 466 yards and four touchdowns. Not exactly a powerhouse passing offense for the Georgia Bulldogs, with the running game being the major focus each and every year. Even with that focus, the Vikings need someone who can get a bunch of yards after the catch, as that's not a major aspect of Justin Jefferson
and Jordan Addison
's games.
As we enter training camp, keep a solid eye on Dillon Bell, because he's got the talent and motivation
to be a guy.
"I can't do too much to help my hard-working mom, but I got her when I make it to the league. She'll be the first person I repay."
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This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Minnesota Vikings found a massive steal everyone forgot to draft, and he could impact Kevin O'Connell's offense as a rookie
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