Bell was the No. 125 pick overall in the 2026 NFL Draft last month by the Buffalo Bills. He officially signed his first pro contract on Tuesday.
Former UConn star wide receiver Skyler Bell is officially a National Football League player.
The Buffalo Bills announced Tuesday that they have signed Bell. whom they selected in the fourth round (No. 125 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft last month, to his rookie contract.
The Bills also announced the signing of linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who played at TCU and was drafted one place behind Bell as Buffalo had back-to-back selections.
While the Bills didn't announce contract terms for either player, Spotrac lists the value of a rookie contract for the No. 125 pick at four years for $5.4 million, with a signing bonus of just over $1 million.
Elarms-Orr's contract would be just a few thousand dollars less, per Spotrac.
Dressed to impress
The first look at Bell in his No. 13 jersey and the red, white and blue of the Bills came last week at rookie minicamp, and by all accounts, he impressed.
Bills-focused podcasts sang his praises, and local TV said Bell could turn out to be "an absolute steal" at No. 125.
By early accounts, Bell is expected to find time on the field this season, a key supplement in a wide receiver room that includes DJ Moore and Khalil Shaker. And what wide receiver wouldn't want a former league Most Valuable Player -- Josh Allen -- throwing to him?
Bell had to process that he actually was at minicamp last week.
“I just looked around and took it all in,” Bell told The Athletic. “I’m blessed to be here. It’s a privilege to put on this uniform and be in the NFL. I just want to make the most of it and make people proud.”
He said that after praying by a pylon in the end zone.
“I like living in the end zone,” he said, “so hopefully I have a lot of (touchdowns) this year.”
Looking back at Bell's college career
Bell played his high school football at the Taft School in Watertown, Conn., and earned a 3-star ranking from 247Sports. He was listed as the No. 124 wide receiver in the Class of 2021.
By 2025, he had evolved into one of the top receivers in the nation.
He spent a redshirt freshman season at Wisconsin in 2021, then played in 2022 and 2023 for the Badgers. He had an offer from UConn in 2020, and when he decided to enter the transfer portal, he wound up back in familiar territory in Connecticut with the Huskies.
As a redshirt junior in 2024, Bell played in all 13 games and led the team with 860 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He finished the season with four 100-yard games.
In 2025, Bell and quarterback Joe Fagnano were an efficient pair, to say the least. Fagnano signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent.
Bell caught 101 passes (third in FBS) for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns, both second in the FBS. He totaled 100 yards in seven games, including an eight-catch, 149-yard day with three touchdowns on Nov. 1 in a 38-19 win against UAB.
In December, Bell became the first player in the history of the Huskies football program to be named a first-team Associated Press All-American. Joining him as first-team receivers were Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Makai Lemon of Southern California.
Smith is a junior and will be returning to the Buckeyes this fall. Lemon was selected in the first round with the No. 20 overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bell also was a finalist for the 2025 Biletnikoff Award.
Join the Conversation
Remember to join our UCONN on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Huskies fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!