The Carolina Panthers believe they have a real weapon in third-round rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II and are excited to start getting his connection going with the rest of the offense during OTAs.

Brazzell brings a rare blend of size and speed while having ridiculous body control. He’s an explosive play waiting to happen every time he’s on the field and head coach Dave Canales is thrilled to finally have a reliable player that can stretch the field.

“I really just, fell in love with, and was really excited to get an opportunity to work with those skills,” Canales said of Brazzell after the draft.

Chris Brazzell II was the standout of minicamp Day 2 🔥

Canales has been high on him since the combine and says his skillset at his height is rare.

I mean just look at this play 😭#Panthers got a good one 🤞 pic.twitter.com/EWgm1cTVmD

— SleeperPanthers (@SleeperCarolina) May 10, 2026

Brazzell now joins 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, former first-round pick Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker in Carolina’s wide receiver room. Despite the competition, Brazzell is expected to have an immediate role in the passing game. However, one analyst’s 2026 stat projections are disrespecting his potential in Year 1.

ESPN Mike Clay’s projections for the Carolina Panthers’ offense overlook Chris Brazzell II

Every year, ESPN’s Mike Clay projects the stats for all 32 teams on offense and defense. He recently shared his projections for the upcoming 2026 season and it paints a bad picture for the Panthers’ new pass catcher.

Clay’s projections have Brazzell finishing his rookie season with 22 receptions, 288 yards, and two touchdowns as the team’s fourth leading wide receiver. McMillan was projected 1,190 yards, Coker was projected 692 yards, and Legette was projected 308 yards.

Now, I’m not saying Brazzell is going to post 1,000 yards as a rookie or anything like that, but 288 yards is severely overlooking the impact he will have as the vertical threat in this offense. I easily see Brazzell doubling that number as a rookie and finishing as the second-leading receiver on this offense behind McMillan.

One player that Clay’s projections did do some justice for was running back Jonathon Brooks, who’s projected to have 573 yards and three touchdowns on 136 carries. If Brooks is indeed back to full health in 2026, his explosiveness will be a real weapon in the run game and projecting 4.0+ yards per carry is a safe bet to make.

I really think the national media is just overlooking what Brazzell is going to bring to this offense. He will quickly push Legette for opportunities and will be a much more reliable pass catcher while being a deep threat. Only 288 yards projected is criminal for a player with his skillset.