Boilermakers Country

Joshua Perry Includes Purdue Wide Receiver David Bell Among Top 30 Big Ten Players

Big Ten Network analyst Joshua Perry has unveiled more than half of his top 30 conference football players. Coming in at No. 14 was Purdue junior wide receiver David Bell.

D.J. Fezler

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Throughout the offseason, Big Ten Network analyst and former Ohio State linebacker Joshua Perry has counted down his top 30 players in the conference ahead of the 2021 college football season. 

The first Purdue player to make the list was junior wide receiver David Bell, who came in at No. 14. Bell was the second wide receiver recognized, ahead of Rutgers pass catcher Bo Melton. 

Bell is coming off of a sophomore season in which he recorded 53 receptions, 625 yards and eight touchdowns for the Boilermakers. Despite a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he still garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2020. 

This year, Bell enters his third season with the Boilermakers. The in-state recruit was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2019 after posting a conference-leading 86 receptions for 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns.

His outstanding freshman campaign also earned him recognition as a first-team Associated Press Freshman All-American and an Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.

He'll look to lead a dominant Purdue passing offense that was atop the Big Ten last season. He may not be the last Boilermaker to make Perry's list, which will continue to be unveiled in the coming days. 

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D.J. Fezler
D.J. FEZLER

D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball. 

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