Tennessee added a highly-touted wide receiver through the transfer portal this offseason with former Tulane receiver Chris Brazzell II.
As Josh Heupel says, Brazzell is a “dynamic playmaker” with a bevy of talents that he can bring to the table to help the Vols’ passing game in their first season with Nico Iamaleava behind center full-time.
“It’s always a luxury as a quarterback to have guys that have the ability to separate, create bigger windows, to have length, to go up and attack the football, have the skill set to defeat press at the line of scrimmage, let you get the ball out of your hands, not sit back there and take a bunch of hits,” Heupel said of Brazzell last week at SEC Media Days. “Chris is somebody that’s got a lot of talk about because of what he’s done on the field.”
After only playing in two games during his freshman season at Tulane, Brazzell had a breakout redshirt freshman season for the Green Wave in 2023 with 711 yards and five touchdowns on 44 receptions. The 6-foot-5 receiver was 12th in total receptions and 10th in receiving yards from the American Athletic Conference last season, earning him a 2023 All-AAC Third Team selection following the season.
Adding a player with Brazzell’s size, speed, and athleticism seems like a perfect marriage for a Josh Heupel offense, especially one looking to get back to the nation’s leading offense as they had in 2022 with Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman.
And there’s no doubt that Heupel is excited to get Brazzell into training camp to see the extent of what he can do before the season.
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Brazzell joined the Vols’ team prior to spring training camp and immediately began turning heads. Tennessee wide receiver coach Kelsey Pope, one of the fastest-rising names in the sport, referred to Brazzell as being “subtle and sudden” in his transition to Tennessee’s offense as a bigger guy who can play smaller in tight spaces. Pope mentioned that Brazzell isn’t just a one-trick pony, either, with the ability to take the top off the defense or make catches in tight windows in the short-to-medium range on the field.
Brazzell showed off both of those traits at different points during spring camp.
The Texas native made an impressive diving catch on a rollout from Nico Iamaleava during practice and also had an eye-opening 71-yard touchdown over the defense during the Orange and White game to wrap up the spring.
Coming soon to a stadium near you. @nico_iamaleava8 🤝 @Chris_Brazzell7#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/kKsEYpHWEA
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) March 20, 2024
With summer taking place since spring camp, though, Heupel is excited to get back into training camp this fall with his new transfer receiver.
“Been a great teammate, but he’s been a dynamic playmaker up until this point as we went through spring ball, and his best is still coming,” Heupel said of Brazzell last week. “He’s continued to grow and mature physically. Just his strength, explosiveness, size to his frame, what he’s done since he got there in January, really excited about him and looking forward to having a great training camp with him.”
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee football coverage in the lead-up to training camp this August.
