Chris Brazzell II 2026 NFL Draft: scouting report for Tennessee, wide receiver

We haven’t seen a player like Chris Brazzell II come along since Plaxico Burress.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer

Jan 24, 2026 3:31 PM EST

Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) yells in celebration after scoring a touchdown during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 13, 2025. Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Height: 6-5
Weight: 200
Year: Fourth-year senior
Pro Comparison: Plaxico Burress

2026 NFL Combine Results

Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee

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Pros of Chris Brazzell II

Brazzell understands the advantage he has with his frame. He tracks the ball well, and isn’t afraid to fight through traffic.
Despite the lack of a route tree in Josh Heupel’s offense. Brazzell displays a solid release package. He gets off the line of scrimmage cleanly against press coverage, and has the speed/quickness to stack cornerbacks.
Brazzell has the willingness and effort when blocking. He could use some more brute strength, but the effort is certainly there.
Unlike most players his size, Brazzell has quick twitch in is route running. Displays excellent separation in short spaces with his quick twitch and the ability to drop his hips to change direction quickly.

Cons of Chris Brazzell II

For a player of his size, you’d expect him to be better with contested catches. On 49 opportunities, Brazzell has caught just 20-49 attempts, and has never been above 50% in a season.
Has had inconsistent hands over his career. Had a 17.1% drop rate in 2024, but he did lower it to a 3.2% drop rate in 2025 with just two drops among his 86 targets.
Route tree is a big of a concern. Tennessee’s offense doens’t translate to an NFL router tree. Could see a significant learning curve early, but the aptitude is there.

Background

Out of Midland, Texas, Brazzell was a three-star recruit who was the 116th-ranked wide receiver in the country in the 2022 recruiting class. He committed to the Tulane Green Wave to play for Willie Fritz, and started to emerge as a weapon as a sophomore, catching 44 passes for 711 yards and five touchdowns. He transferred to Tennessee after the season, where he was a depth player initially, and was a star in 2025, finally showcasing the twitchy ability he has on a larger stage.

Player Evaluation

Brazzell is such a talented and unique player. He’s 6-5, but is rather slim. Due to that frame, he is an explosive player with straight-line speed and has a surprising ability to drop his hips and snap off routes to create separation. He is a true deep threat receiver who the Tennessee Volunteers used to their advantage this past season. Due to his last two seasons being in Josh Heupel’s offense, there will be some growing pains coming to the NFL. His route tree isn’t super diverse, and there is some strength that needs to be improved upon, but the player is unique and worthy of development.