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Chris Brazzell II's NFL Draft stock climbing after breakout game vs. Georgia

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey10 hours agoGrantRamey
Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) gets past Georgia defensive back Ellis Robinson IV (1) during an NCAA college football game on September 13, 2025, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) gets past Georgia defensive back Ellis Robinson IV (1) during an NCAA college football game on September 13, 2025, Knoxville, Tennessee.

What Chris Brazzell II did against Georgia on Saturday isn’t going unnoticed. In fact, his six catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns already have him climbing NFL Draft boards this week, according to Todd McShay.

“Will ‘CBII’ be WR1 next April?” McShay asked. “Chris Brazzell II has my full attention now.”

McShay on social media on Monday highlighted an out route that Brazzell caught along the Tennessee sideline early in Saturday’s game, as well as the 72-yard touchdown pass Brazzell caught in the first quarter. 

“In and out of his break,” McShay said of the out route, “fluid hips and then that acrobatic catch.”

Chris Brazzell’s last two games: 15 catches, 302 yards, 5 TDs

Brazzell beat the Georgia defensive back deep on his first touchdown, then fought back on an under-thrown pass to not only catch the football, but stay on his feet to finish the run to the end zone. 

Georgia was called for defensive pass interference on the play, too. 

“The other thing is this guy can run,” Heupel said. “Watch him on top of the Georgia DB and then coming back to the football, adjusts, makes the play on the ball and that balance after the catch.”

The current top receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to ESPN, are Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Auburn’s Eric Singleton Jr., Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, USC’s Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, Louisville’s Chris Bell, Washington’s Denzel Boston, Clemson’s Antonio Williams and Alabama’s Germie Bernard.

“A lot of good receivers in the 2026 class,” McShay said on Monday. “None I’ve seen so far that have this guy’s talent.”

‘He’s playing really confident, going up and attacking the football’

Brazzell in three games has already surpassed his numbers from last season. Through three games this season he has 20 catches for 364 yards and five touchdowns. In 13 games last season, he caught 29 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns. 

He transferred to Tennessee after the 2023 season, after catching 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games over two seasons at Tulane. 

Brazzell had five catches for 62 yards against Syracuse on August 30 and nine catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns last week. His season high in catches last year was five and his highest yardage total was 63 yards against Kent State.

“I think attention to detail has been a huge part of his success,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said during his press conference Monday. “Understanding coverage, understanding his role in the scheme, playing with great fundamentals and technique. 

“He’s playing really confident, going up and attacking the football. He did a great job Saturday and has the first couple of weeks.”