Tennessee WR Mike Matthews has something that not enough college players have, and it’s going to be a difference maker in 2026
Tennessee Vols wide receiver Mike Matthews is poised for a huge junior season in 2026.
Tennessee junior wide receiver Mike Matthews is one of the most talented players on the Vols’ roster, and he might be the UT player best positioned to play his way into the 2027 NFL Draft first-round conversation.
Matthews is a former five-star recruit with undeniable talent. He’s one of the fastest players on the team. And while he had a strong sophomore season, anyone who watched Tennessee play last year knows he has a lot left in the tank. Matthews had a few plays he’d like to have back and a couple of tough drops, but he has the ability and the skills to be one of the best players in the country.
“I am extremely confident in Mike Matthews,” said On3’s Rusty Mansell this past summer. “I will beat on the table for him. This is a big year. You’ve got to make sure you use this kid. … I know what this kid is, and I know this kid can fly. I know he’s tough. [He has] great change of direction and great hands. … It’s so good to watch Mike run routes. When he makes a cut and you don’t have to change speeds? He can go now. He can go.”
Braylon Staley says Mike Matthews has the ‘dog factor’
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Braylon Staley, who I’m also a big fan of, was asked about Matthews this week on The Mike Keith Show.
And what Staley had to say has me even more convinced that Matthews is going to be a superstar this fall.
“He’s a physical receiver – he wants to get dirty,” said Staley. “But his game, he likes to change up his speed during routes, so you don’t know what he’s gonna run. He’s a physical receiver, like I said before. He’s a dog. He’s a dog, now.”
If you’ve followed me at all for the last few years, you know “the dog factor” is the top trait I want to see in a player before anything else.
Before any talk of production or their 40 times, I want to know about their compete level. Are they going to compete every single rep and do everything they can to win every single play?
I think you’ve got to have that to be a superstar. I don’t think it’s negotiable.
And Matthews has it.
If you watched Matthews without the ball last season, you know he’s a relentless blocker. He gives his all on every play for his teammates. He’s exactly what you want in a wide receiver. He’s the total package.
I think Matthews is ready to take that next step in 2026. It could be a fun season for the Georgia native.
