Epic quote from Tennessee Vols coach tells Carolina Panthers fans everything they need to know about WR Chris Brazzell
The Carolina Panthers selected former Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Chris Brazzell in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Brazzell started his career at Tulane before transferring to Tennessee.
The Carolina Panthers selected former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Chris Brazzell in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft (No. 83 overall).
Brazzell is a freak athlete (4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash despite false starting) with elite size at 6-foot-5/200 pounds.
The Texas native was selected by the Panthers after catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns at Tennessee last season.
Brazzell’s best game in 2025 came against the Georgia Bulldogs when he caught six passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns.
Quote from Vols assistant coach tells Panthers fans all they need to know about Chris Brazzell
We know about the measurables and the stats, but what kind of player are the Panthers actually getting in Brazzell?
According to Vols wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope, Brazzell is an elite competitor.
“He’s a gamer,” said Pope of Brazzell in 2024. “He’s one of the most competitive guys on the team. Right before kickoff, he was like screaming on the sideline, like I was worried that something was wrong. It’s just that’s his demeanor. He’s in it, he’s engulfed, he immerses himself in his game.”
“Chris is one of those guys, he’s all or nothing,” continued Pope. “He’s going to do something 100 percent of the time [at] full speed. And that’s why you see him out there that much. He loves the game, which gives him a shot to be really successful and really good at this game.”
Former Tennessee secondary coach Willie Martinez made similar comments about Brazzell in 2024.
“Everyday,” said Martinez before the 2024 season when asked if Brazzell challenges the defensive backs in practice. “His speed, his competitiveness. Braz is very competitive and plays with a lot of fire and energy. We better do that on our side of the ball, right? I mean, you gotta have great energy and stuff like that. But a very competitive, high-level player, so that’s only gonna make us better.
“We got a great group of wide receivers that, they’re gonna be playing on Sundays. So it’s easy for my job to just tell the kids, ‘Hey man, you want, you want a great resume? Put it on video. Put it on video against these guys that are gonna be playing on Sundays’. And Braz is one of those guys. Highly competitive, physical player.”
Brazzell certainly made some big-time plays in big-time moments during his time with the Vols, such as catching the game-winning touchdown against Alabama in 2024.
Brazzell also made an incredibly clutch catch on fourth down in the Vols’ win over Mississippi State during the 2025 season.
The fourth down catch came in the fourth quarter when Tennessee was down by seven points.
Brazzell has room to improve, but he could potentially be a gamechanger for the Panthers.