Former Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough wants his favorite college target back. Even though standout receiver Chris Bell missed the NFL Combine while recovering from a torn ACL, his draft stock is looking secure thanks to a strong push from inside the Saints building.

“He (Tyler Shough) said he wants me so bad, and he’s been pushing my name,” said Bell to WHAS11 News at Louisville’s Pro Day on Tuesday.

Shough is not just doing a favor for a friend. The Saints actually need a big, physical target like Bell. New Orleans already has speed and route-running in its receiver room, so Bell would give the offense a different kind of target with size, strength, and red-zone value.

Before his injury, Bell was a legitimate Biletnikoff Award semifinalist. Adding him in the second or third round gives New Orleans a proven weapon who already has chemistry with their quarterback. Now, while Bell is widely projected to be a Day 2 selection, many analysts consider him a major Round 2 target for the Saints.

Adding to that, Shough’s recommendation of him as a strong teammate only strengthens the possibility of their reunion. Here’s where Shough and Bell’s connection is built on trust and a deep understanding of each other’s potential. Their connection showed up in Louisville’s win over Miami, where Bell turned in 9 catches for 136 yards and kept coming back as one of Shough’s most trusted options.

More importantly, analysts credit Shough with helping trigger Bell’s “breakout” 2024 campaign. Now, following Shough’s successful 2025 rookie season with the Saints, he has reportedly been “pounding the table” for the team to draft Bell in the upcoming NFL draft. In that case, Chris Bell’s numbers backed up the confidence of the QB in him, despite injury affecting his draft stock.

Bell gave NFL scouts plenty of elite tape before tearing his ACL against SMU. He constantly took over games, highlighted by massive outings against Miami and Virginia, where he racked up a combined 21 catches for over 300 yards. Those numbers back up Shough’s confidence in him perfectly.

To cap it off, during his four-year career as a WR for Louisville, he recorded 151 receptions for 2,166 yards. Still, a concern remains as his rehabilitation process is ongoing.

Louisville WR’s powerful message to 32 NFL teams

Chris Bell arrived in Indianapolis determined to make sure his story stayed firmly on track. Although a late-season ACL injury kept him from participating in on-field testing, he used the interview rooms as his stage, delivering a clear message to decision-makers.

“Don’t let this injury fool you,” said Bell, referring to the NFL scouts. “I’m still that dog. I’m still that guy. I’m still that beast that you see on the field. Just give me time, and I’ll be back right.”

Bell was trending as one of the ACC’s most reliable playmakers before the injury at SMU sidelined his final two college games in 2025. He closed his senior campaign with 917 yards, earning First-Team All-ACC honors. Although that production didn’t help him to be a first-round pick, it cleared his path to the NFL, and the WR gave credit to the Cardinals for that.

“Louisville shaped me real well,” said Bell. “It brought the mental part out of me, it brought a man out of me.” In fact, the former Louisville WR confirmed that he expects to begin running soon, stating, “I feel pretty good. Still got to get the strength back. But I’m feeling confident day by day.”

Simply put, Bell’s mindset hasn’t changed because of injury. “I feel like God has a plan,” he stated. “It made me slow down a little bit and figure out who I am.” Now, we will see how this elite WR’s NFL fate will play out in the coming months.