04-24-2026, 10:27 PM -
Overview
Hometown: Midland, TX
Birthday: October 23, 2003
Age: 22.5
Jersey: No. 17
High School: Legacy
Year: Fourth-year junior
A two-year starter at Tennessee (and three-year starter overall), Brazzell was an outside receiver (exclusively to the right of the formation) in head coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo spread scheme. (He saw one target to the left of the formation in 2025, and it resulted in a drop.) Brazzell put himself on the NFL radar at Tulane before showing improvements over the past two seasons in Knoxville. He led the SEC in receiving yards per game (84.8) and receiving touchdowns (nine) in his final season (although seven of those TDs came in September).
Brazzell gets to top speed in a hurry to stack corners on his hip and keep them there. He can sink to smoothly get in and out of breaks, although scouts want to see him improve his consistency on intermediate routes and expand his route menu in the NFL (48.7 percent of his routes in 2025 were either a hitch or go). He is at his best using his tracking skills and length to be a jump-ball winner down the field.
Dane’s takeaway
Dane Brugler Illustration
Brazzell still has a long way to go before becoming a complete receiver, but he is a long-striding athlete and dangerous vertical threat with surprising savvy for his size. He has the talent to become a team’s No. 2 or No. 3 option.
Combine stats
Hover any column header to see its definition.
Note: Combine: 40 only (choice).
Strengths
Tall, angular athlete with above-average speed
Smooth, effortless acceleration makes him a legit vertical threat
Tough for defenders to recover once he gains a step and hits his stride
Attacks the stem and runs full speed at corners to separate out of his break
Downfield tracking skills make him an accomplished deep-ball target (caught 13 of 23 targets of 20-plus yards in 2025)
Large catching web because of his body length and ability to work back toward the ball
Climbs the ladder with leaping skills and focus to secure the football mid-air over defenders
Efficiently able to collect, sink and cut on hitches, digs and outs without losing balance
Strengths as a receiver make him productive in the high-red zone
Only SEC wide receiver in 2025 with 1,000-plus receiving yards and seven-plus touchdown grabs
Weaknesses
Narrow waist with thin wrists/ankles and marginal mass (only player at the combine 6-4 or taller but under 200 pounds)
Needs to improve savvy in the quick game
Mediocre production with the ball in his hands
Bad habit of unnecessarily jumping at the catch point to secure catches
Upright off the line; needs to be more of a technician vs. physical jams
Has some blocking snaps, but too many negative reps in screen game
Barely moved off the line on some run plays in Tennessee’s offense
Zero special teams experience on college resume
Arrested for speeding (60 MPH in a 35 MPH zone) and driving with a suspended license (Aug. 2025) — charges were later dismissed
College stats
Hover any column header to see its definition.
2022 Enrolled July 2022
2023 Third Team All-AAC
2025 Third Team All-American; First Team All-SEC; led SEC in receiving yards and TDs
Background
Christopher “Chris” Brazzell II (BRAZ-ull), the oldest of two boys, was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up in Midland, Texas, with his parents (Chris Sr. and Monique). His father set the national high school season record with 1,971 receiving yards in 1993 before playing at Blinn (Texas) College (1994-95) and Division II Angelo State (1996-97), where he became an All-American. After getting noticed by Todd Haley, the Jets’ wide receiver coach at the time, Chris Sr. was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and then selected in the sixth round (No. 174) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Jets. He played two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (1999-2000) — and caught his first pro pass from Troy Aikman — before a seven-year stint in the CFL. Monique played college basketball at Angelo State. Her father (Bobby Miller) played basketball at Niagara University in the early 1970s; her uncle (Calvin Murphy), who also played at Niagara, played 13 years in the NBA, 12 with the Houston Rockets, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. Chris’ younger brother (Colin) plays cornerback at Tennessee and completed his redshirt freshman season in 2025.
Because of his father’s background, Chris Brazzell II grew up around football and started playing in elementary school. He was trained by his father throughout childhood and made a name for himself in 7-on-7 tournaments in Dallas and Sarasota, Fla. Brazzell was also a talented basketball player. In middle school, he starred on the AAU circuit as a point guard.
Brazzell originally attended small, private Midland Christian School. He became a varsity starter during his sophomore season and posted 40 receptions for 521 yards and six touchdowns, while also seeing snaps as a safety. After leading Midland Christian to the state playoff quarterfinals as a junior, Brazzell decided to transfer up for his senior year to get more attention on the recruiting radar. He enrolled at Midland Legacy Senior High School, one of the largest in the area. The move up to the Class 6A level wasn’t an issue for Brazzell, who caught 52 passes for 859 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior. He earned all-district honors and helped Legacy to a 10-2 record and a spot in the state playoffs. Brazzell also lettered in basketball and track in high school, competing in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays and the high jump (personal best of 6 feet 2 inches).
A three-star recruit, Brazzell was the 170th-ranked wide receiver in the 2022 class and the No. 190 recruit in Texas. Early in his junior season, he received his first Division I offer (Florida Atlantic). Brazzell didn’t get his next offer until FCS Austin Peay saw him work out at a Florida State camp in June 2021. He originally committed to FAU until adding offers from Pittsburgh, TCU and Tulane during his senior season. Just before signing day, Brazzell decommitted from FAU and flipped to Tulane and former head coach Willie Fritz, who previously had coached Brazzell’s father at Blinn College. He was the second-ranked recruit in Fritz’s 2022 class.
After the 2023 season, Fritz left to take the head coach job at Houston, and Brazzell entered the transfer portal for a fresh start. He immediately heard from more than 40 programs, including SEC powers such as Florida, Georgia and LSU. But Brazzell was drawn to the Tennessee offense and committed to the Volunteers.
He graduated with a degree in sociology (December 2025). Brazzell opted out of the Volunteers’ bowl game and skipped his senior season to enter the NFL Draft.
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Hometown: Midland, TX
Birthday: October 23, 2003
Age: 22.5
Jersey: No. 17
High School: Legacy
Year: Fourth-year junior
A two-year starter at Tennessee (and three-year starter overall), Brazzell was an outside receiver (exclusively to the right of the formation) in head coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo spread scheme. (He saw one target to the left of the formation in 2025, and it resulted in a drop.) Brazzell put himself on the NFL radar at Tulane before showing improvements over the past two seasons in Knoxville. He led the SEC in receiving yards per game (84.8) and receiving touchdowns (nine) in his final season (although seven of those TDs came in September).
Brazzell gets to top speed in a hurry to stack corners on his hip and keep them there. He can sink to smoothly get in and out of breaks, although scouts want to see him improve his consistency on intermediate routes and expand his route menu in the NFL (48.7 percent of his routes in 2025 were either a hitch or go). He is at his best using his tracking skills and length to be a jump-ball winner down the field.
Dane’s takeaway
Dane Brugler Illustration
Brazzell still has a long way to go before becoming a complete receiver, but he is a long-striding athlete and dangerous vertical threat with surprising savvy for his size. He has the talent to become a team’s No. 2 or No. 3 option.
Combine stats
Hover any column header to see its definition.
Note: Combine: 40 only (choice).
Strengths
Tall, angular athlete with above-average speed
Smooth, effortless acceleration makes him a legit vertical threat
Tough for defenders to recover once he gains a step and hits his stride
Attacks the stem and runs full speed at corners to separate out of his break
Downfield tracking skills make him an accomplished deep-ball target (caught 13 of 23 targets of 20-plus yards in 2025)
Large catching web because of his body length and ability to work back toward the ball
Climbs the ladder with leaping skills and focus to secure the football mid-air over defenders
Efficiently able to collect, sink and cut on hitches, digs and outs without losing balance
Strengths as a receiver make him productive in the high-red zone
Only SEC wide receiver in 2025 with 1,000-plus receiving yards and seven-plus touchdown grabs
Weaknesses
Narrow waist with thin wrists/ankles and marginal mass (only player at the combine 6-4 or taller but under 200 pounds)
Needs to improve savvy in the quick game
Mediocre production with the ball in his hands
Bad habit of unnecessarily jumping at the catch point to secure catches
Upright off the line; needs to be more of a technician vs. physical jams
Has some blocking snaps, but too many negative reps in screen game
Barely moved off the line on some run plays in Tennessee’s offense
Zero special teams experience on college resume
Arrested for speeding (60 MPH in a 35 MPH zone) and driving with a suspended license (Aug. 2025) — charges were later dismissed
College stats
Hover any column header to see its definition.
2022 Enrolled July 2022
2023 Third Team All-AAC
2025 Third Team All-American; First Team All-SEC; led SEC in receiving yards and TDs
Background
Christopher “Chris” Brazzell II (BRAZ-ull), the oldest of two boys, was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up in Midland, Texas, with his parents (Chris Sr. and Monique). His father set the national high school season record with 1,971 receiving yards in 1993 before playing at Blinn (Texas) College (1994-95) and Division II Angelo State (1996-97), where he became an All-American. After getting noticed by Todd Haley, the Jets’ wide receiver coach at the time, Chris Sr. was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and then selected in the sixth round (No. 174) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Jets. He played two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (1999-2000) — and caught his first pro pass from Troy Aikman — before a seven-year stint in the CFL. Monique played college basketball at Angelo State. Her father (Bobby Miller) played basketball at Niagara University in the early 1970s; her uncle (Calvin Murphy), who also played at Niagara, played 13 years in the NBA, 12 with the Houston Rockets, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. Chris’ younger brother (Colin) plays cornerback at Tennessee and completed his redshirt freshman season in 2025.
Because of his father’s background, Chris Brazzell II grew up around football and started playing in elementary school. He was trained by his father throughout childhood and made a name for himself in 7-on-7 tournaments in Dallas and Sarasota, Fla. Brazzell was also a talented basketball player. In middle school, he starred on the AAU circuit as a point guard.
Brazzell originally attended small, private Midland Christian School. He became a varsity starter during his sophomore season and posted 40 receptions for 521 yards and six touchdowns, while also seeing snaps as a safety. After leading Midland Christian to the state playoff quarterfinals as a junior, Brazzell decided to transfer up for his senior year to get more attention on the recruiting radar. He enrolled at Midland Legacy Senior High School, one of the largest in the area. The move up to the Class 6A level wasn’t an issue for Brazzell, who caught 52 passes for 859 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior. He earned all-district honors and helped Legacy to a 10-2 record and a spot in the state playoffs. Brazzell also lettered in basketball and track in high school, competing in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays and the high jump (personal best of 6 feet 2 inches).
A three-star recruit, Brazzell was the 170th-ranked wide receiver in the 2022 class and the No. 190 recruit in Texas. Early in his junior season, he received his first Division I offer (Florida Atlantic). Brazzell didn’t get his next offer until FCS Austin Peay saw him work out at a Florida State camp in June 2021. He originally committed to FAU until adding offers from Pittsburgh, TCU and Tulane during his senior season. Just before signing day, Brazzell decommitted from FAU and flipped to Tulane and former head coach Willie Fritz, who previously had coached Brazzell’s father at Blinn College. He was the second-ranked recruit in Fritz’s 2022 class.
After the 2023 season, Fritz left to take the head coach job at Houston, and Brazzell entered the transfer portal for a fresh start. He immediately heard from more than 40 programs, including SEC powers such as Florida, Georgia and LSU. But Brazzell was drawn to the Tennessee offense and committed to the Volunteers.
He graduated with a degree in sociology (December 2025). Brazzell opted out of the Volunteers’ bowl game and skipped his senior season to enter the NFL Draft.
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