Chris Brazzell poised to be a major factor in Tennessee’s passing attack

The hype is growing.

After a bit of a down season with the passing game, Josh Heupel and the Tennessee staff are hoping that redshirt freshman phenom Nico Iamaleava can ignite that attack once again. The former five-star, No. 1 overall prospect takes over under center this season for Tennessee, and he won’t be short on weapons.

Veterans like Bru McCoy and Squirrel White will lead the charge at receiver. 6-5 speedster Dont’e Thornton is back. Chas Nimrod and Kaleb Webb return after another offseason in the system. Touted recruits Mike Matthews and Braylon Stanley will offer instant depth with big time upside down the road.

And then on top of that, Tennessee went to the portal and added Chris Brazzell from Tulane. The 6-5, 200 pound receiver is just now entering his redshirt sophomore season, following a breakout 2023 year with the Green Wave. Brazzell went from an overlooked prospect to emerging as one of Tulane’s top offensive threats, growing into a starting role. He ended up catching 44 passes for 711 yards and five touchdowns on the year.

Brazzell peaked at the end of the year, putting up a combined 196 yards and three touchdowns in the final two games of the regular season. That strong finish opened plenty of eyes, earning him several offers in the transfer portal. Tennessee moved quickly, now Brazzell is set to be a key part of this passing attack this fall.

“He’s dialed in, man,” Tennessee wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope said. “Like when he first got here, I don’t think he had a true expectation of what it took in this building and in this league to be successful. And right now he’s in a really good spot. He’s dialed in. He’s getting extra meetings, he’s getting extra film, like he’s doing a great job of preparing. And I think as long as he does that and continues to do that, he’ll give himself a shot.”

The early returns have generated some buzz, starting with the Orange and White Game back in the spring. Even defensive backs coach Willie Martinez admitted that Brazzell was pushing his room in practice.

And after seeing plays like this, you see why he would say something like that.

“We still got to obviously make plays on Saturday, but as long as you prepare the right way, you always give yourself a shot to be successful,” Pope said. “He’s doing that right now. I’m pleased with him.”

The receiving pecking order remains a mystery, and a wildcard like Dont’e Thornton certainly could emerge. But at this point it’s difficult not to see how Brazzell will be a major factor this season for the Volunteers.