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Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

A favorite of Rookie Scouting Portfolio author and phenomenal talent evaluator Matt Waldman,receiver Kenny Bell from Nebraska could end up being the best receiver picked in the middle rounds, especially if he finds himself in an offense in dire need of his skills.

Despite an excellent combine, Kenny Bell's performance went well under the radar. With a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the combine and a 4.38-second dash at his pro day (with a 1.47-second 10-yard split!), Bell has more than the requisite speed necessary to play receiver.

But for the Vikings, the model at receiver has little to do with speed and more to do with quickness and explosion. Aside from Charles Johnson, all of the young receiver acquisitions from the Vikings so far have a run a three cone under 7.00 seconds, had a vertical leap of at least 36 inches (except for training camp body Andy Cruse) and a broad jump of at least 9'11".

Bell demolishes those numbers with a 6.66 three cone, 41.5" vertical and 10'9" broad jump. That's a faster three cone than any other receiver on the roster and a broad jump equal to Mike Wallace's. The vertical would also be the second-highest of not just any receiver on the roster, but any player.

Despite that, Kenny Bell doesn't carry a reputation for athleticism.

Part of that has to do with his play, which isn't as fast as his timed speed (though it's certainly not slow) and part of it has to do with the mediocre production that comes with being a Nebraska receiver.

Bell's lean frame and issues with getting muscled out of routes gave rise to questions about his strength, and he didn't answer the call with only seven bench reps, which could be the biggest reason he falls. He's a very willing competitor and tough player who excels at blocking, however, so the functional strength is there (to some degree).

Every scouting report on Bell will mention not just his high football IQ, but his personality—mature and outspoken. Known as a locker room leader, Bell also led Nebraska in receiving yards for four straight years. Of course, for the Cornhuskers that only meant 2.689 total yards, which is part of the reason he doesn't get much attention.

But if production matters, it's not raw totals, but market share that's more predictive of NFL success. Though Bell's production in that light (30.2 percent of the teams' receiving yards) isn't elite, it's very good and meets the expectations of 22-year-old receivers in college who turned out to be impactful in the NFL.

Beyond that, his on-field skills translate. Though there are worries about play strength (and he's stronger than his reputation would suggest), Bell's ability to beat press coverage (though inconsistent) shows sophisticated technique at the release and should let him run free.

Aside from that, he's very good at finding the soft spot in zones and sitting where he needs to in order for the quarterback to find him away from defenders. His route-running is excellent, with sharp cuts paired with explosion that comes from solid technique, like proper footwork and sinking his hips.

On special teams, he's a very good tackler with a solid understanding of angles. He works at every aspect of special teams play, and was a high-level returner for Nebraska as well as a good blocker.

His character will make him a favorite, but he'll need to bulk up to stay on the roster. If he can do that (and there's reason to believe he can't, which is why he isn't projected to go early) or at least improve his play strength, he'll be a solid contributor for some time, even if it's only as a special teams maven.

Pro-day results courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com.