What Tennessee's Chris Brazzell II said about entering the NFL Draft

What Tennessee Football receiver Chris Brazzell II said in a social media post on Thursday explaining his decision to enter the 2026 NFL Draft and opt out of the Music City Bowl against Illinois:

“I want to start by thanking God for every opportunity and for guiding me throughout this entire journey. I’m grateful for my family, teammates, and coaches for believing in me and pushing me to grow on and off the field.

“To Tulane, thank you for giving me my first shot and helping lay the foundation for the player and person I’ve become. The relationships I built there and the lessons I learned will stay with me forever.

“To the University of Tennessee, thank you for welcoming me and allowing me to take the next step in my career. The support, the experiences, and the people here have meant more to me than I can put into words.

“After a lot of prayer and conversations with the people closest to me, I’ve decided that I will be declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.”

ESPN ranks Chris Brazzell II as No. 7 WR in NFL Draft

Brazzell had a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns.

He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns.

Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.

Jermod McCoy declared for NFL Draft on Wednesday

He’s the second Tennessee player to announce his entrance into the 2026 NFL Draft, following cornerback Jermod McCoy on Wednesday. 

McCoy did not play this season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. He was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee. 

He was projected as a top-10 pick and the No. 1 corner off the board over the summer, before missing all of the 2025 season. McCoy this week was projected by ESPN’s Field Yates as the No. 21 pick in the NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles.

McCoy is ranked No. 13 overall on Kiper’s Big Board and is ranked as the No. 1 cornerback on the board.