The 2026 NFL free agency class wasn’t particularly loaded, but the San Francisco 49ers still made a statement. They signed likely future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans to a three-year deal worth up to $60.4 million through incentives.
Evans enters this new phase after a relatively quiet 2025 campaign. According to PFSN’s NFL Wide Receiver Impact metric, he recorded a 72.1 score with a C grade, ranking 65th overall while totaling 368 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns across 8 games.
How Chris Brazzell II Can Complement Mike Evans in the 49ers Offense
That’s where former Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Chris Brazzell II comes to the fore. Fox Sports analyst Eric Williams floated the idea in his recent article, where he projected the landing spots of the top receivers in this draft class.
He projects the Niners to pick Brazzell at the No. 54 overall draft slot.
He wrote: “The 49ers secured an experienced, consistent playmaker who can move the chains by signing Mike Evans in free agency. But adding Brazzell brings a big, speedy receiver who can stretch the field on the perimeter, keeping defenses honest in the back end. At 6-4 and 198 pounds, Brazzell ran a 4.37 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine, so he has plenty of speed to get deep.
“A former receiver in college, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan has a knack for developing receivers, along with a veteran, experienced receiver coach in passing game coordinator Leonard Hankerson. San Francisco had just four passing plays of 40-plus yards last season, tied for 29th in the NFL. The 49ers could use another explosive athlete to threaten the defense deep.”
That projection centers on Brazzell, a vertical threat whose profile fits alongside Evans’ possession and red-zone dominance.
A PFSN scouting report also views Brazzell as a fringe top-75 prospect:
PFSN Grade: 83.32
PFSN Rank: #66
WR Rank: #11
Brazzell’s path to the NFL Draft process has been a roller-coaster ride. After transferring from Tulane to Tennessee, his first season with the Volunteers functioned as a reset, as he struggled to carve out consistent snaps behind Dont’e Thornton.
In 2025, he climbed the depth chart and produced, showing some promising traits that generated early-round buzz.
At 6-foot-4, 198 pounds, Brazzell brings a classic boundary receiver frame with modern movement skills. He creates vertical separation with long speed and uses his size to box out defensive backs at the catch point. Per TruMedia, he posted a 3.2% drop rate and a strong catch rate over expectation, indicating high-level ball skills and finishing ability.
Brazzell shows smooth explosiveness as a route runner, with enough flexibility to adjust and win on angled stems. This matters in Shanahan’s system, where spacing and timing are critical.
He is not a high-end run-after-catch threat, and there are off-field concerns, including multiple driving violations, that teams will need to vet.
But the on-field upside is clear: 1,017 receiving yards, 62 receptions, and 9 TDs. PFSN’s CFB Wide Receiver Impact metrics ranked him No. 26 overall last season, nationally, with an impact score of 81.0 and a B- grade.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
For San Francisco, the fit is about structure. Evans gives them a reliable chain-mover and red-zone presence. What they lacked last season was explosion. Only four passing plays of 40-plus yards underscore that issue.
Brazzell might be able to fix that directly. If the 49ers follow through on this projection, the pairing would rebalance the entire passing attack, giving Shanahan a vertical element that forces defenses to stretch, opening space underneath and across the middle.
