Louisville football fans received devastating news Wednesday afternoon when the Cardinals learned that star wide receiver Chris Bell had suffered a torn ACL against SMU. Bell missed the final game of the regular season against Kentucky, and now fans are officially informed he will not play in the Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo.
However, the real blow isn’t Bell’s absence from the bowl game; it’s the serious impact his injury will have on his draft prospects. Bell was rated among the top wide receivers in expert mock drafts for the 2026 NFL Draft. After this injury, it is difficult to imagine his stock not taking a hit.