Chris Brazzell II was Tennessee’s No. 3 receiver in 2024. In 2025, he led the SEC in receiving yards, torched Georgia for 177 yards and three touchdowns in the opener, and ran a 4.37 forty at 6-foot-4, 198 pounds. The 2026 NFL Draft market has responded. Brazzell is a Day 2 lock with Round 2 momentum.
Where Will Chris Brazzell II Be Drafted? Round 2 Range With Patriots in Play
PFSN’s Jacob Infante has Brazzell going to the New England Patriots at No. 63 overall in his Day 2 and 3 mock.
“Chris Brazzell II is a 6’5″ serious threat with a freakish combination of size and speed, and he adjusts well to the ball in the air with proper body control and high-pointing ability,” Infante noted. “He’s raw as a route runner, but the tools are unmatched.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper also has Brazzell going to the Patriots at No. 63 in his final two-round mock. Kiper also ranks Brazzell eighth at the position on his big board.
PFSN’s Ian Cummings frames Brazzell as a legitimate WR2 prospect if the off-field due diligence checks out.
“Chris Brazzell II had early-round buzz after transferring from Tulane to Tennessee, but his first year with the Volunteers was a ‘mulligan’ of sorts, as Brazzell struggled to secure consistent playing time behind future NFL Draft pick Dont’e Thornton,” Cummings wrote. “In 2025, however, Brazzell climbed back up the depth chart and took full advantage of his opportunity.”
Thornton was the 108th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft to the Las Vegas Raiders, a fourth-round selection on the strength of his own 4.30 forty at 6-foot-5.
Chris Brazzell II Scouting Report: Vertical Threat With WR2 Upside
The catch-point profile is where Brazzell separates from the rest of the Day 2 receiver class.
“At 6’5″, 200 pounds, Brazzell has all of the catch-point skills you’d expect,” Cummings wrote. “He can create vertical separation and box out DBs with his frame, and he can snare high passes with steely focus and gravity-defying body control. Those elite catch-point traits translated to elite catch-point production in 2025; per TruMedia, he boasted a low 3.4% drop rate and an incredible 16.5% catch rate over expectation.”
A 16.5 percent catch rate over expectation is the kind of number that anchors a scouting report. It means Brazzell produced 16.5 percent above what an average receiver would have produced on the same target volume, which pairs with his 4.37 forty and his SEC-leading production to build a clean analytical case.
“He’s also a promising vertical route runner and mover for his size, with the smooth, gliding explosiveness and the effortless flexibility to create and capitalize on angle advantages,” Cummings continued.
“Brazzell isn’t as efficient as a RAC presence, and he also has multiple driving violations on his record that will force teams to do due diligence. Nevertheless, if his off-field evaluation checks out, he has tantalizing upside as an explosive vertical-stressing WR2.”
Brazzell committed to Florida Atlantic in 2021, flipped to Tulane in December on the strength of a family connection to then-head coach Willie Fritz, and redshirted in 2022 after a shoulder injury limited him to two games.
He broke out at Tulane in 2023 with 44 catches, 711 yards and five touchdowns, earning Freshman All-America and third-team All-AAC honors. When Fritz left for Houston after the season, Brazzell chose Tennessee over Colorado, Utah, Washington and Houston itself. He caught 29 passes for 333 yards in 2024 behind Thornton.
Then 2025 happened. Brazzell caught 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games, leading the SEC in receiving yards and tying for the conference lead in touchdown catches. His six-catch, 177-yard, three-touchdown game against Georgia in the SEC opener is one of the signature performances of the 2025 college football season.
He earned First-Team All-SEC, Third-Team All-America, and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist honors. He finished the season with a B- PFSN WR Impact grade (81).
The Combine tied it together. Brazzell ran his 4.37 forty at 6-4, 198 pounds, tying for the ninth-fastest time among 34 receivers. At his size, that’s a vertical-threat profile that teams pay Round 2 capital for every April.
Head coach Josh Heupel’s offense is known for producing NFL wide receivers. Thornton last year. Jalin Hyatt before him. Cedric Tillman before him. Velus Jones Jr. before them. Brazzell is next in the line.
