Tennessee breakout candidate makes eye-popping play at practice, and Vol fans should be getting excited
The Vols could have a good one on the way in 2026.
The Tennessee Volunteers head into the 2026 season with plenty of question marks across the roster. Pass-catching options, however, are not among those concerns. The Vols have a tremendously talented top wide receiver trio in Braylon Staley, Mike Matthews, and TK Keys, among others. The tight end room is also led by Ethan Davis, who could be one of the best in the SEC by the end of the season.
But another option who has been a bit under the radar is rising sophomore tight end DaSaahn Brame.
Brame flashed in practice with an impressive leaping grab
Brame, from Derby, Kansas, is a player who certainly oozes potential, which he showed in limited moments last year for the Vols as a true freshman. He had six catches for 63 yards on the season, which isn’t a huge number or something that would really draw your attention to a potential breakout.
However, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end put on a show on Friday at practice as Tennessee gets into full gear in its fall camp. Tennessee’s social media team posted a video of Brame rising high, reaching up and grabbing a high pass, pulling it down, and getting his feet in bounds.
Tight ends coach Alec Abeln sees a bigger role for Brame in 2026
Tight ends coach Alec Abeln talked this week about the possibility of Brame becoming a significant factor in the tight end room along with NFL UK Academy participant Luca Wolf. The competition behind Davis for that TE2 role could be one of the more compelling position battles to watch this fall, and Abeln discussed on Thursday Davis and Brame’s potential as every down tight ends.
“Yeah, I mean absolutely,” Abeln said. “When we recruit guys, there’s different body types in the room, but ultimately, we’re not looking to play with a Y that’s just a blocker or an F that’s just a route runner. For us to operate as best as we can as an offense, we want guys that are true combo, have the ability to do all of it. Now it can look different ways and different skill sets for different guys, but for us to be our best those guys have to be able to do the stuff in the box, and the guys that are a little bigger they have to be functional and do a good job in space as well.”
Abeln also noted Brame’s growth since the spring.
“One, just mastery of the offense, knowing what to do. It’s hard to do anything at a high level until you feel really confident in what you’re doing. To the last point, man, the work that those guys have done in the weight room, on the field; those guys are moving better, they’re stronger, they’re more explosive, allowing him to translate in the box a little bit more and, you know, really excited to see what he’ll do this camp.
We’ll find out soon enough who can emerge in that role behind Davis, but if Brame can translate that type of pass-catching ability to the game field, he could be in for a memorable step up in his role and production in 2026 for Tennessee.
