A devastating ACL injury nearly erased a top prospect’s first-round dreams, but a new report is putting him right back on the draft boards of over a dozen NFL teams. With the NFL Draft scheduled for April 23, the latest report on his injury could help him be picked earlier in round 1.

“Louisville WR Chris Bell, who was widely considered a top-20 pick before suffering an ACL injury in November, is progressing ahead of schedule and is now running and jumping…,” reported Jordan Schultz on Instagram about WR Chris Bell. “Bell already has visits scheduled with 13 teams (and has completed four) and is expected to be fully cleared by training camp, and chance of being first-round pick is still real.”

The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder suffered a torn ACL in the Cardinals’ 38-6 loss at SMU on November 22. He exited the game with a season-low tally of five catches for a season-low 46 yards. Earlier that month, he was named All-ACC first team following 917 receiving yards in 72 receptions and 6 receiving touchdowns. He was having a great run and was expected to be one of the top-20 picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, derailing his pick prospects.

After the injury, Bell underwent surgery in Dallas in mid-December. Surprisingly, within three months of surgery, he has shown great progress in his recovery. According to Schutz, Bell has already shifted his focus to physical exercises like running and jumping.

To make things interesting, 13 of the NFL franchises have scheduled meetings with him. With those plans lined up, his injury update comes as positive news for the league. The wide receiver has already completed at least two of them, with confirmed meetings reported from the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints. The Denver Broncos are also one of the franchises interested in the wideout.

“In NFL draft analyst Field Yates’ most recent mock draft for ESPN, Bell is projected to go to the Denver Broncos with the 32nd and final pick of the first round,” wrote ESPN.

Amid the Bills and Broncos targeting top receivers, the Browns could turn to Chris Bell at No. 39. He is a big, physical target with upside, though his ACL recovery and limited separation skills leave him as a potential WR2/3 down the line. The Broncos will be wary of other teams’ interests in him.

The Broncos dominated the AFC with a 14‑3 record last season, but outside Courtland Sutton, their receiving corps struggled for consistency. With Sutton aging into his late 20s and little proven depth behind him, Denver needs a high-upside pass catcher to keep defenses honest.

Last season, Sutton was the only one who crossed the 1,000+ receiving yards for the Broncos, with Troy Franklin coming in second at 709 receiving yards. Together, they scored 13 touchdowns. Beyond those two, the team lacks depth at the wide receiver position. The next one in receiving yards is Pat Bryant with 378 yards (if we don’t count tight ends). Since getting drafted in 2018, this is only Sutton’s third 1,000+ yard season, and he is already approaching 31.

During their last campaign, the Broncos were one game away from playing in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. Many thought the Broncos lost since quarterback Bo Nix did not play the game as he was suffering from a broken right ankle.

Going into the 2026 season, the Broncos are believed to be one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. So, they could benefit from a young wideout who can produce the numbers consistently. But for the moment, Chris Bell’s recovery seems to be the most important update on the Broncos’ radar.

Where does Chris Bell stand in the 2026 draft class?

Suffering from an ACL injury before the draft is nothing new to the NFL. During the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship, wide receiver Jameson Williams tore his ACL. Despite his needing a long time to recover, the Detroit Lions selected him in the first round (12th overall) in the draft. So, there is still a good chance for Chris Bell to earn a first-round pick.

Despite all the positive reports, NFL franchises are always careful when it comes to injuries. Recently, Maxx Crosby’s trade to the Baltimore Ravens failed after a failed physical test. So, having such a serious injury before making it to the NFL can lead to an injury-plagued career. It is something every franchise will prefer to avoid.

Fortunately, Bell is not the only top prospect this year. The draft is deep with top wide receivers. When it comes to yardage productivity, USC’s Makai Lemon and UConn’s Skyler Bell ranked first with 3.13 Y/RR. Compared to them, the Louisville wide receiver is ranked ninth with 2.55 Y/RR.

Similarly, there are various categories, such as scoring productivity, catching the football, catch rate over expectation, and many more, which determine what kind of wideout a franchise requires. As for scoring production, Cyrus Allen of Cincinnati has the best touchdown rate at 4.40%.

Regardless of the stats, Chris Bell’s return may significantly alter the draft plan for the Broncos. The training camp starts in July. He is expected to be fit by then. The franchises have only a month before they decide whether they will draft him or not.

A few sources claim that the Buffalo Bills are planning on drafting WR D.J. Moore, and the Cleveland Browns will be going for WR Carnell Tate. It seems the Broncos (29th pick) do have a chance at getting him. It remains to be seen how Bell’s recovery brings about changes in the upcoming draft.