Seahawks Draft: Why ‘Tank’ Dell is Bump’s sleeper WR prospect

If there’s one position that former Seahawks player Michael Bumpus knows, it’s wide receiver.

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Bumpus, who hosts Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy every weekday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., played receiver for the Seahawks after a standout career at WSU with the Cougars. And looking at the receiver prospects in this year’s NFL Draft class, Bump sees an under-the-radar prospect who he thinks people might be sleeping on.

“My guy, Nathaniel ‘Tank’ Dell,” Bump pointed to during a show Thursday.

Dell, 23, started his college career at FCS school Alabama A&M in 2018 before transferring to Independence Community College in Kansas for the 2019 season. Then he transferred to Houston, where he shined for the Cougars.

“With a name like Tank, you’d think he’s a big individual right? Negative. He’s listed as 5 foot 10, and they say he’s 5-8, 165 (pounds),” Bumpus said.

While Dell is a smaller receiver, he’s put up massive numbers for Houston over the last two seasons.

“In 2022, he had 109 receptions for (1,398) yards and 17 touchdowns, (which led the) NCAA,” Bump said. “In 2021, he had 90 receptions, (1,320) yards and 12 touchdowns. He has the most receiving touchdowns the past two years in the NCAA.”

Nathaniel Dell led the AAC in..

🥇 88.3 PFF Grade
🥇 91 catches
🥇 1,328 yards
🥇 12 TDspic.twitter.com/BA3wF0zKpG

— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 11, 2022

So what should we know about Dell?

“If you do not get your hands on this young man at the line of scrimmage – because he’s 5-8, 165 – he’s gonna cook you,” Bumpus said. “He went to the Senior Bowl, and it sounds like he did not lose a rep. This guy’s dynamic. Now, he’s not the guy you’re gonna line up on the outside and say ‘OK, beat this guy one-on-one every single time.’ You can move him around.”

Bumpus said Dell reminds him of former LA Rams first-round pick Tavon Austin. What’s interesting about that comparison is Austin played at West Virginia for head coach Dana Holgorsen, who was Dell’s head coach at Houston.

“He reminds me of a better Tavon Austin … He’s a lot more skilled (than Austin), a better route runner than this guy,” Bumpus said of Dell. “I’m looking at him and I’m saying that’s my sleeper. Anybody who gets his young man late in the draft, you might be on to something.”

You can hear Bump’s full thoughts on Dell in the Four-Down Territory segment in the podcast at this link or in the player below. Four-Down Territory is a daily segment at 11:15 a.m. during Bump and Stacy where Bumpus answers four football questions from co-host Stacy Rost.

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