‘I love that kid, I think he’s a great football player’ – ESPN’s Greg McElroy is a big fan of important Tennessee Vols wide receiver
The Tennessee Vols will have a solid wide receiver group in 2026.
The Tennessee Vols will return two of the SEC’s top wide receivers in 2026.
Vols redshirt sophomore wide receiver Braylon Staley and junior wide receiver Mike Matthews both finished in the top 11 in the SEC in receiving yards last season.
Staley finished No. 8 after catching 68 passes for 837 yards. Matthews, meanwhile, finished No. 11 after catching 53 passes for 813 yards.
The two talented wide receivers will serve as the top options in the Vols’ passing game this fall with wide receiver Chris Brazzell moving on to the NFL (Brazzell finished No. 2 in the SEC in receiving yards last season with 1,017).
Former Alabama QB Greg McElroy is a big fan of Tennessee WR Braylon Staley
Former Alabama quarterback turned college football analyst Greg McElroy pointed out Tuesday on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning that he’s a big fan of Staley.
McElroy, who is also an analyst for ESPN, made the comment while discussing underrated playmakers ahead of the 2026 college football season.
“I’ll tell you a guy that I think is outstanding is Braylon Staley at Tennessee,” said McElroy. “I love that kid. I think he’s a great football player. But some of the things that he would do that impress me aren’t going to jump off the page as a quote playmaker.
“He just does everything right. He does the little things — understands how to create separation, sets up the route, stems the route. He does a lot of things that are coached into him, but he takes it to the next level. So he’d be a guy that would absolutely be on my short list (of underrated playmakers).”
I agree with McElroy that Staley does the little things at a high level. But I also think McElroy may be selling Staley’s playmaking abilities a bit short.
Staley is extremely quick, can outrun defenders, and is way more athletic than folks realize just from watching him play on TV.
In fact, I think his athleticism very much “jumps off the page”.
Whoever wins Tennessee’s starting quarterback battle this offseason is going to have two of the top playmakers in the SEC to throw to in Staley and Matthews.
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