Louisville senior Chris Bell, one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL draft, suffered a torn ACL in the Cardinals' 38-6 loss at SMU on Nov. 22, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel on Wednesday.
Bell had five catches for a season-low 46 yards in the game before exiting with the injury, which kept him out of the Cardinals' regular-season finale, a 41-0 win over Kentucky.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder was named to the All-ACC first team earlier this month after finishing the season with 72 receptions for 917 yards and six touchdowns.
The tear is believed to be clean, sources told ESPN, and Bell is set to have surgery this week with Dr. Dan Cooper in Dallas.
In NFL draft analyst Field Yates' most recent mock draft for ESPN, Bell is projected to go to the Denver Broncos with the 32nd and final pick of the first round.
Louisville finished the regular season 8-4 and will take on Toledo in the Bush's Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 23.
