College football rankings: Top 10 wide receivers of 2021

3. David Bell, Purdue

From the moment that David Bell put on a Boilermakers uniform, he’s done nothing but deliver the goods. Purdue’s offense wanted Rondale Moore to be healthy and the focal point of the offense but injuries ultimately kept that from happening. And in his absence from the field, Bell stepped up and became a monster in the passing game over two seasons.

Bell exploded onto the scene as a freshman in the 2019 campaign as he caught 86 balls for 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns over 12 games, adding a rushing touchdown for good measure. He followed that up with six games in the shortened Big Ten season in 2020 by catching 53 passes for 625 yards and eight touchdowns, putting him on a better per-game pace than he was at in his first year with Purdue.

Much like a number of other players we’ve already discussed, Bell isn’t going to wow fans or defenders with his speed. In fact, NFL Draft pundits will likely ding his stock because he doesn’t always break free of coverage. But the 6-foot-2, 205-pound pass-catcher is an elite player when it comes to making physical plays down the field and winning 50-50 balls.

With Moore now gone for the Arizona Cardinals, Bell is the unquestioned alpha of the Purdue wide receiver room, even if he’s already produced like he is. He should be one of the most consistently productive receivers in the country once again in 2021.