” data-large-file=”\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1180,height=724,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Steve-Smith.jpg”> If you\u2019re just checking into Minnesota Vikings football for 2026, it\u2019s perfect timing, and you should get to know Georgia wide receiver Dillon Bell, an undrafted free agency find last weekend by interim general manager Rob Brzezinski<\/a>. Bell still has a long way to go to establish himself, but it doesn\u2019t hurt that he has five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith\u2019s blessing.<\/p>\n Minnesota may have a summer name worth watching at wide receiver.<\/strong><\/p>\n Smith criticized Georgia head coach Kirby Smart earlier this month, saying his usage of Bell in college wasn\u2019t exactly the greatest.<\/p>\n Bell could latch onto the bottom of the Vikings\u2019 roster<\/a> later this summer.<\/p>\n ” data-large-file=”\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1180,height=787,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_27918054.jpg” src=”http:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_27918054.jpg” alt=”Dillon Bell celebrating a touchdown during a College Football Playoff game at the Sugar Bowl. Dillon Bell Vikings”> Smith on Bell<\/strong><\/p>\n Earlier this month, Smith claimed<\/a> the Bulldogs\u2019 coaching staff had done Bell \u201ca disservice\u201d and that he was \u201cstraight up frustrated\u201d by what he saw on tape.<\/p>\n Smith also criticized Georgia\u2019s quarterback: \u201cLet\u2019s get right down to it. I don\u2019t know the young man\u2019s name, and I don\u2019t want to because the way I watched him play quarterback, hell, I\u2019m irritated just watching it. Goodness gracious. The quarterback play from the Georgia Bulldogs<\/a>, uh, awful. Uh, Dog doo-doo. As a wide receiver, I\u2019m going on strike, right? I\u2019m not working or running a route until I get a better quarterback. And holler at your boy, when you get it, because I\u2019m out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n On Bell, Smith added, \u201cThis is a kid who you get him in the building, and you coach him up, he can really surprise you.\u201d<\/p>\n It sounds like Bell is one of \u201chis guys.\u201d<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Bell Anyway?<\/strong><\/p>\n Bell, at 6\u20191\u2033 and 210 pounds, with 4.50 speed, possesses a solid all-around physical profile. To establish himself in the league, he\u2019ll need to be highly versatile. He projects as a jack-of-all-trades on offense, capable of playing multiple positions and filling multiple roles, whether on the Vikings\u2019 regular-season roster or with another team. Think Josh Mettellus, but on offense.<\/p>\n SI.com<\/em>\u2018s<\/span> Jonathan Williams on Bell before the draft<\/a>: \u201cComing out of high school, Bell was rated as a three-star prospect, the 452nd-best player in the country, the 68th-best wide receiver in the 2022 recruiting class and the 64th-best player in the state of Texas, according to 247 sports composite rankings. The first thing people need to know about Bell is his versatility.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDuring his time at Georgia, he played running back, slot, Z and X. During the 2023 season, Georgia was banged up at running back and needed some extra depth so Bell slid into the backfield. He finished the season with 25 carries, 157 yards and two rushing touchdowns.\u201d<\/p>\n In recent years, the Vikings haven\u2019t really wrapped their hands around offensive \u201cgadgets,\u201d so Bell would be a nice change of pace.<\/p>\n ” data-large-file=”\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1180,height=784,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_27941488.jpg” src=”http:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_27941488.jpg” alt=”Dillon Bell running with the ball as defenders close in during a playoff game. Dillon Bell Vikings”> Williams continued, \u201cHe finished his career with 51 carries for 373 yards and five touchdowns. Over his four year career, Bell racked up 119 receptions for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns. Bell may not have the numbers or the resume of a day one or early day two draft pick at wide receiver, but he could end up being a very underrated addition in the middle rounds of the draft.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhichever team picks up Bell is not only getting a solid receiver, but a Swiss Army Knife. Whatever position the offense needs him to play, he can go out there and do it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Adam Thielen and Ivan Pace Jr. Blueprint<\/strong><\/p>\n Minnesota is no stranger to onboarding impactful undrafted free agents. In fact, it has become a tradition, especially with Adam Thielen\u2019s worldwide Cinderella story<\/a>, which began in 2013. The Vikings also found Ivan Pace Jr. from the same process in 2023, and he\u2019s back in the saddle for Year No. 4 this season.<\/p>\n Since Thielen\u2019s emergence captivated everyone, all told, Minnesota has empowered these undrafted free agents for various periods:<\/p>\n So when you see folks pounding the table for Bell or a different UDFA, know that sometimes it does indeed work out. <\/p>\n Training Camp Will Have Answers<\/strong><\/p>\n When will you know if Bell fulfills the forecast from Smith and lofty praise from Kirby Smart? Well, that\u2019s about three months away.<\/p>\n ” data-large-file=”\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1180,height=787,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_28365907.jpg” src=”http:\/\/vikingsterritory.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_28365907.jpg” alt=”Carson Beck and Dillon Bell walking together during NFL Combine activities. Dillon Bell Vikings”> Training camp kicks off at the end of July, and the Vikings will spend one month determining a 53-man roster, complete with a few preseason games for the full experience. It is already evident that fans will have big plans for Bell, and it\u2019ll be up to him to secure a spot as the WR4, WR5, or WR6<\/a>.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s face it: if Smith sees something in him, there\u2019s a decent chance that Bell fulfills his destiny with a regular season roster spot or lives on the practice squad at the very least. The guy sounds like he belongs in the NFL. He may also benefit from a thin WR spot around the aforementioned WR4-WR6 range. <\/p>\n Bell will turn 23 in November. <\/p>\n <\/main><\/p>\n<\/div>\nFootball Bell Brings a Familiar Undrafted Angle to Vikings Camp<\/h2>\n
Georgia wide receiver Dillon Bell (86) celebrates after wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) scored a touchdown during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. Ole Miss defeated Georgia 39-34. \u00a9 Ayrton Breckenridge\/Clarion Ledger \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.<\/p>\n
Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Dillon Bell (86) passes the ball defended by Mississippi Rebels safety Nick Cull (29) and linebacker TJ Dottery (6) in the third quarter during the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
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Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami quarterback Carson Beck (QB04) walks with Georgia wideout Dillon Bell (WO04) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
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