At the conclusion of the NFL Scouting Combine last weekend, the experts on site in Indianapolis showered Skyler Bell, an All-America wide receiver at UConn, with praise.

Impressed, the football pundits projected Bell as a surefire pick for the 2026 NFL Draft, which will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.

And on Tuesday, we got an early prediction as to where Bell could land.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid, in his two-round mock draft, said Bell could remain in New England, with the AFC champion Patriots selecting him with the 63rd overall pick in the draft.

“Bell has checked all the boxes in this process and sneaks in at the end of Round 2,” Reid wrote. “He silenced questions about his speed at the combine by running a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. Bell is capable of playing inside or on the perimeter and is a three-level threat who could continue to boost quarterback Drake Maye.”

That could be a dream landing spot for Bell. The Patriots are an organization that has no question marks about its head coach (Mike Vrabel) or emerging star quarterback (Drake Maye) but plenty of questions about the future of its top receiver (Stefon Diggs).

Although Diggs was the Patriots’ first 1,000-yard receiver in six years in 2025, the 32-year-old carries a $26.5 million cap hit. He is a candidate to be cut or for a contract restructure – a decision that must be made before guarantees in his contract kick in on March 13. That could open an opportunity for Bell.

When asked about Diggs’ future at the combine, Patriots executive Eliot Wolf offered no hints about the organization’s thinking.

“I’m not going to get into any specific players today,” said Wolf, the executive vice president of player personnel. “There are certain conversations that we’re having, and we’ll see what happens with everyone.”

Bell spent three seasons at Wisconsin before transferring to the Huskies. The Bronx native appeared in 26 games for the Huskies and recorded 2,138 yards on 151 receptions with 18 touchdowns.

Most of that production came in 2025: 101 catches, 1,278 yards and 13 scores – numbers that put him among the nation’s best. He was nominated for the Biletnikoff Award and became UConn’s first All-America selection.

But if the Patriots draft Bell and if Diggs still is on the roster, that’s one player Bell would like to learn from.

At the combine, he told reporters that he closely watches the play of Diggs, Ja’Marr Chase and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. One of his favorite all-time receivers is Steve Smith Sr.

Whichever team selects Bell, and in whatever round, will be getting someone willing to do anything, he said.

“I'm going to learn the playbook fast. I'm going to come in, I'm ready to work, man,” he said. “You're going to get a guy that can play inside out. I've been put in the backfield. I could make contested plays down the field. I could run slants. I could run digs. I could go across the middle. I think I can do it all, and I think you're going to get that when you draft me.”

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