Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report plus pro comp

Chris Brazzell II joined the Tennessee Volunteers in 2024, and, after a lackluster first season, he was a downright lethal outside weapon in the passing game. His skills popped on tape every week, and he quickly emerged as a top wide receiver prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft as well as a potential first-round pick come April.

The lanky wideout began his career at Tulane, rapidly developing into a deep play threat by his second season, leading to making the Power 4 jump. He was a role player during a quiet 2024 campaign, but he capped off his college career with his first 1,000-yard season in 2025 for the Volunteers. He now looks to transition to the next level, currently finding himself grouped in the Top-10 of most consensus WR rankings.

Chris Brazzell II NFL Draft Profile:

Position: Wide Receiver

School: Tennessee Volunteers

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 198 pounds

Hometown: Midland, Texas

Statistics:

2025: 62 Receptions, 1,017 Yards, 9 TDs

Career: 132 Receptions, 2,072 Yards, 16 TDs

Strengths:

Great combination of size and speed, which makes him an immediate open space matchup advantage

Solid footwork through his releases, works well through traffic to offset DBs and get into open space

Can break down smoothly and slide into open space against zone coverage at the second level

Can jolt back to get open after running into contact on the top of comeback routes

Knows how to manipulate his speed on underneath routes to stay in zone blind spots

Willing to try and fight through physicality on his routes

Makes himself available immediately once in open space and can fluidly work through the catch to gain yards downfield

Some impressive compact movements as a ball carrier, will make defenders miss in space even at his size

Flashes some good releases off the line, can be quick with his movements, and throws defenders off

Uses his size well to high-point passes and maximize available open space downfield

Great body contortion skills when adjusting to throws away from his frame at the catch point

Love his whip moves on routes, can use his leverage to throw off defenders and create some big wins

Weaknesses:

Will have issues with physical coverage on the sideline, can get taken out of plays by bigger DBs

His all-around cuts aren’t the sharpest, especially on slants and quick hitters

Physical concerns also appear when he tries to work vertically, can get his momentum stalled

Can be sluggish as plays develop, won’t create much on broken plays, and doesn’t work himself open much

Non-factor as a blocker, simply won’t provide much to help out the running game

Gets too methodical in traffic over the middle, doesn’t use his physical tools to generate space

Struggles with awareness as a downfield blocker, which will get in the way of ball carriers

Not the best contested catch guy, won’t drive through physicality to bring down passes, even at his size

Prone to drops during his college career, albeit 2025 was a big step in the right direction

NFL Outlook:

Brazzell II simply has “it”. He’s a twitched-up route runner, even with his above-average frame, and he has the top speed and acceleration skills to be a downfield threat from Day 1 in the NFL. The physicality is a concern, especially as the athletic testing for DBs continues to improve, and his route tree will need to be fleshed out at the next level. Even with those issues, he easily warrants a Day 2 pick with Day 1 consideration. He’s a playmaking outside receiver who NFL teams should be all over as an offensive improvement in the draft.

NFL Player Comparison:

The initial name comparison might turn people away, but the most exciting parts of Brazzell II's game mirror something similar to the absolute peak of someone like Marquez Valdez-Scantling. The explosiveness, deep play ability, and occasional flashes of route-running proficiency could provide offenses with a level of production that Valdez-Scantling could never reach. With that being said, there is some merit to the comparison at face value when evaluating the 8-year NFL veteran's body of work. If Brazzell II can't adjust and improve some of his shortcomings, he could find himself as the change-of-pace role player that MVS routinely found a role for.

Prospect Grade:

Mid 2nd Round