Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: UConn WR Skyler Bell is Exactly What Shane Steichen is Looking For

Starting point is 00:00:00 Yukon wide receiver, Skylar Bell, could be the perfect Shane Steichen wide receiver in this draft class. Let's get to it. You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to Locked On Colts part of the Locked On Podcast Network. My name is Zach Hicks, and today we are continuing the Prospect Spotlight Series, by taking a look at wide receiver, Skylar Bell, from Yukon. Skylar Bell originally committed to play at Wisconsin out of high school,

Starting point is 00:00:41 where he spent three years with that program. Wasn't super productive with the Badgers, but he did have a pretty decent redshirt freshman season at 19 years old where he had over 600 yards from scrimmage and a couple touchdowns. So there was some flashes there early on, but really his career took off when he transferred to the Yukon Huskies, where in his final two years of play at college with that, that program. He had over 150 total receptions, over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, and over a

Starting point is 00:01:11 dozen touchdowns as well. So Skylar Bell really bumped it up the last two years of play. And when we look at him as a prospect in this draft class, there is so much to like, despite him being a bit of an older prospect as a fifth year senior. One thing I really noticed on film is just the outstanding route runner and the explosiveness and the agility that you saw at the combine and that you saw with his testing numbers, but it really, really pops on film as well. He is electric with the ball in his hands, but also just as a route runner, I think he's one of the better separators in this class outside of that top tier that's probably going to go in round one. I think that he can win over the middle of the field. He can win outside the numbers.

Starting point is 00:01:51 He wins in a variety of ways with just good explosiveness in and around his routes. And the ability to come back and fight for the football as well is a big aspect of his game. I mentioned that yak ability, though, just the ability to create after the catch. When we look at his pro football focus numbers, 835 yards after the catch this past season, which was most in this draft class by quite a bit. The only player that was even remotely close to him was Zachariah Branch from Georgia, who his average depth of target was like two yards down the field. Skylar Bells, I think was closer to nine yards. So a little bit on the lower end there, but still it's at least throwing the ball down the field a bit for him to create after the

Starting point is 00:02:31 catch. So the yard after catch potential is great with him. I made multiple highlight real catches down the field as well. A couple one-handed catches in traffic and in showing that ability to win in contested catch situations. Over 50% contested catch rate last year despite being, you know, he's like 6'1, like 200 pounds. So not like a small receiver, but not being like an Alec Pierce type of receiver. He was still able to make some acrobatic catches down the field and again, some highlight real ones with his one hand and doing some cool things there. When we look past the film, though, and look at some of the projections and the numbers

Starting point is 00:03:06 with his game, I mean, everything about his season last year was incredible. Over 1,200 yards receiving, but even the advanced numbers, 3.46 yards per route run versus man coverage last year, which only ranked behind Brennan Thompson and Zachariah Branch among notable players in this draft class, again, versus man coverage. and, again, Branch was doing this like a two yards, A dot. Bells was closer to 11 yards down the field where he was creating all these yards against man coverage. When we look at zone coverage, 3.16 yards per route run versus zone, which only ranks behind Malik Benson out of Oregon among notable players in this draft.

Starting point is 00:03:44 I already mentioned the 835 yards after the catch was by far and away the most in this class. And he also had 50 receiving first downs, which is tied for the most in this draft, along with 15 mistackles forced after the last. the catch. And another stat that I actually put on Twitter earlier today as well was there was only three receivers in this draft class that had over 3.0 yards per route run. And those three receivers were Mackay Lemon, Skyler Bell, and Carnell Tate, Lemon and Bell, or Lemon and Tate are probably going to go in like the top 10, top 15 of this draft. And Skyler Bell might be available in round two or round three. So one of the more productive players in the draft, I know that did come at

Starting point is 00:04:22 Yukon. So that's always the caveat with this. But hyper good. production profile these last two years, did a lot of good work there at Yukon, but also just a top level athlete that can separate and win in all three levels of the field. I know he got a lot of screen work and a lot of underneath work, but when he was able to stretch his legs and really work over the top as a vertical threat, I thought there were some good things there as well.

Starting point is 00:04:47 So it's really hard to pick holes in his game as a player. Like even when you look at what he does against like zone coverage, for instance, I thought he's kind of like a really underwerex. in that aspect of finding the soft spot in coverage, finding that quiet space that you're looking for and sitting down and making himself available for his quarterback. He was not only like a quarterback's best friend when it came to finding that space, but also explosive and acrobatic as well to make those plays down the field. So with Skylar Bell, you kind of get a little bit of everything.

Starting point is 00:05:18 Like, I'm not going to say he's a perfect prospect because an older breakout at wide receiver is a little bit concerning. he's not really like above the rim type of winner. Like he's not going to win again, contested catch situations like an Alec Pierce. It's more so going to be from his separation. And if that can be bottled up, then you do have some flaws there.

Starting point is 00:05:39 But overall, I think he's just a clean, clean prospect that projects well to play at multiple positions in the NFL. And I think you can do a lot of good things for your offense. So coming up, we're going to talk about how he fits with Shane Steichen. And while he's not. not like the size you're looking forward to replace a Michael Pittman, Jr. I do think he is the ideal option to pair with Josh Downs and Alec Pierce in this draft class. We're going to talk about that, though, more in just a second.

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Starting point is 00:07:15 That's better, H-E-L-P dot com slash locked on. All righty, Locked on Colts, everydayers. We are back with this prospect spotlight. talking about Yukon wide receiver, Skylar Bell, and why I think he has a great fit with the Indianapolis Colch. You know, we've been seeing a lot of mocks, putting bigger-bodied receivers to fill that void spent, void that's going to be in the offense with Michael Pittman Jr. leaving.

Starting point is 00:07:43 But one thing that I think people aren't really talking about enough is the Colts are looking to replace the Z wide receiver role. The Z receiver is the guy who doesn't face press coverage. Alec Pierce has been the X the last couple years, more the press coverage facing receiver that's on the backside of the formation. that is kind of isolated on that side of the field. Pittman Jr. has been more of the Z guy, the guy that they move around the formation a little bit,

Starting point is 00:08:05 the guy that they use on the cheat motions a bit more, and they even have motioned him into the backfield a little bit more as well over the last couple of years. So you're looking for a guy that you want to move around the formation a little bit, you want to be creative with, and I think the coach just need more explosion and speed at that role. And when I look at a player like Skylar Bell, and I look at the film at Yukon,

Starting point is 00:08:26 he was utilized on so much cheat motion, and just, again, on the move a lot pre and post snap to where I just love the fit with the Colts, you know, getting a guy with his speed explosion in yards after catchability where he's a natural ball carrier when you get that ball into his hands. I really like the potential of him getting him out there on some of the Colts mesh concepts, getting him out there on some of their downfield throws like Yankee and stuff like that, where Pierce is the deep post, and you can have a player like Bell just working over the middle of the field underneath that.

Starting point is 00:08:57 I think that he would pair really well with what they're doing. And I think that he works really well in the modern NFL offense. And in terms of like what you're losing, like, yes, you are losing a little bit of the contested catchability that Pittman brought. But it's not bad with Skyler Bell is pretty good last year as well at Yukon. He's also a pretty willing blocker as well too. So, you know, when we look at the change that has happened when Shane Stuyken took over as the Colts offensive coordinator and head coach compared to Frank Reich,

Starting point is 00:09:24 Frank Reich wanted the big explosive juiced up receivers, the strons, the fountains, the, the pierces and the pitmins, right? When we see that Stuyken's taken over, he's one and more of these guys who can separate and get open and create. And you look at like A.D. Mitchell, you look at Josh Down. You look at Anthony Gould, right? Those guys were all separators compared to being like, I know Mitchell was kind of big and explosive as well, but they're separators at the end of the day. I think Skyler Bell more so fits that mold that Stuyken was. would like, but I think he can be a really good Z receiver in the NFL. So I think he fits everything the culture looking for.

Starting point is 00:10:01 In terms of when you'd have to take him, I think it would probably have to be round three. Personally, I would, I consider him at 47, honestly. I am that high on Skylar Bell, but I think round three is generally where I've seen him. I think he's across the board, like a top 100 prospect for most people, but it's closer to like, again, like that 70s or 80s type range. So I think the Colts could take him in round three. So if you get your edge rusher in round two, get your linebacker in round two,

Starting point is 00:10:28 whatever it's going to be, I think you can get a player of Skylar Bell who, again, hyperproductive, a player that fits that Z role really well, can create after the catch, can create underneath, can even do some stuff downfield if you need him to with his explosion and his juice.

Starting point is 00:10:43 And I think he's a pretty willing blocker as well. Like, I think he can be a guy that you can just slide into that Z receiver role from day one and get some really good play. Like, that doesn't mean. that Doolin won't have a role. That doesn't mean that Westbrook Aquina won't have a role. But I think Scholar Bell can take that in and it with stride and be a really good player

Starting point is 00:11:00 for the Colts. So I'm very high on Skylar Bell out of Yukon. I think that he'd be a really good fit with the Colts and just imagining what Shaden Stuyken can do with him and Downs, with the motion that they use and with stack sets and really getting those guys to play off each other, along with Alec Pierce being that backside guy at X wide receiver that you can put on an island and have him win with using his speed down the field or using on comeback and deep hitches and deep curls. I think it would be a really good and complete wide receiver room with three guys that bring juice, explosion, and the ability to separate. So I think that's what the Colts are looking for.

Starting point is 00:11:37 We'll see ultimately if Skylar Bell is that answer for them. But for me, I think he'd be a very, very good answer for what the Colts are looking for in this draft class. But that is all I have for today's prospect spotlight. Let me know what you think about Yukon wide receiver, Skyler Bell, and his fit with Indianapolis Colts. I know, again, that I'm higher on him than most people, but there's just a lot to like on film and with the analytics when it comes to him. But thanks again for tuning in today to Lockdown Colts. We're back yet again for the Squat Show later tonight. So make sure you subscribe to our show and get all the latest episodes. If you don't already, follow at Lockdown Colts, at Jake Arthur and NFL at Zach Hicks to

Starting point is 00:12:13 all on social media. Don't forget to check out the Everydayer Club for ad-free episodes and access to a group chat with me and Jake and other listeners of this show. Tat the link in the show notes. We're going to lockdowncultz.supercast.com and we will join you guys again later tonight for the Colts Squad show.

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: UConn WR Skyler Bell is Exactly What Shane Steichen is Looking For

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