Chris Autman-Bell 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• Sixth-year senior

• Big-play target who averages over 15 yards per reception
• Set career highs in every major receiving category in 2021 despite offense attempting less than 20 passes per game

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: RPO-heavy, frequent use of wide zone rushing concepts 
• 2022 projected role: Starting perimeter WR

Pros: Chris Autman-Bell appears to be an NFL-caliber wide receiver and athlete who offers a dense build at the position and an unselfish style of play that makes him easy to root for. Autman-Bell shows initial quickness plus physicality after the catch and on the perimeter in the run game. His growth as a player has been linear, but steady. Continuing that trend will go a long way in injecting excitement about his play at the next level. I have little doubt that Autman-Bell can carve out a special teams role for himself in the NFL, but the big question I have is how high the ceiling is as a pass-catcher.

Cons: Chris Autman-Bell’s profile is a complicated one. I don’t think he’s quite the route-runner that Tyler Johnson or Rashod Batemen were when they came out—which leaves some big questions about his ability to translate to the NFL level. The Minnesota offense featured a ton of RPO concepts, which called on Autman-Bell to run the glance route in high volume. He did this well but the variety in reps was sparing elsewhere. Another frequent target Autman-Bell had last season was downfield targets vertically against the sideline, but he did not consistently separate on those targets and he also failed to showcase consistency in winning at the catch point in those situations. He’s going to need to become more proficient at either creating space or winning tight-window targets.

Chris Autman-Bell NFL Draft Scouting Report by Kyle Crabbs