The Carolina Panthers selected Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II as the 83rd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Brazzell, a 6-foot-4 talent known for his deep receiving skills, has a notable athletic family background.
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Pros, cons of Carolina Panthers picking Tennessee's Chris Brazzell in 2026 NFL Draft
Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II was selected No. 83 by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft on April 24.
Brazzell is a high-flying 6-foot-4 receiver with a talent for grabbing deep passes at their highest point. He emerged as one of college football’s best downfield threats in 2025.
And he’s got a family tree that includes an NFL receiver and an NBA great.
Here’s what Brazzell brings to the Panthers based on his career with the Tennessee Vols.
Chris Brazzell II has an accomplished family of athletes.
His father, Chris Brazzell Sr., broke the national high school record with 1,971 yards receiving in 1993 in Alice, Texas. He played at Blinn College and then at Angelo State, where he was an All-American.
He got an invitation to the NFL scouting combine, a rarity for a Division II player. And then he spent three seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets (1998-99) and Dallas Cowboys (1999-2000), and seven seasons in the Canadian Football League (2001-07).
The mother of Chris Brazzell II played basketball at Angelo State, and her family was heavy into hoops. Her dad, Bobby Miller, was on Niagara University's NIT runner-up team in 1972. One of her uncles, Sammy Miller, scored 26 points for Washington State in a game against Bill Walton’s UCLA team. And he played pro basketball for a few years.
Chris Brazzell plays as a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers.
Chris Brazzell was selected due to his exceptional ability as a downfield threat and his impressive height of 6-foot-4.
Chris Brazzell was picked in the third round as the 83rd overall selection.
Chris Brazzell comes from a family with a history in sports, including an NFL receiver and an NBA great.
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Her other uncle, Calvin Murphy, was an all-time great. He was an All-American at Niagara, an NBA star with the Houston Rockets and a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member.
Brazzell emerged as a potential early-round draft pick in a 2025 game against Georgia, when he caught six passes for 177 yards and three TDs.
He earned All-America honors and became arguably the best wide receiver in the SEC with 62 receptions for 1,017 yards and nine TDs in 2025.
NFL scouts love Brazzell’s long frame, wide catch radius and his ability to play above the rim to make catches over defenders. He is a tall receiver who can leap to pull in passes. He can run past defenders with long strides, clocking 4.37 seconds in the 40.
That combo helped him average 16.4 yards per catch as a deep threat.
Brazzell was productive at Tulane. In 2023, Brazzell had 44 catches for 711 yards and five TDs, and then he transferred to Tennessee.
It took him two seasons to turn into a go-to receiver for the Vols.
In 2024, he had 29 catches for 333 yards and two TDs. That included the go-ahead touchdown on a diving catch in the fourth quarter to beat Alabama. But he lacked consistency in his first season in the SEC.
Brazzell took off in 2025. He earned All-SEC and All-America honors and became arguably the best wide receiver in the SEC. He racked up 62 receptions for 1,017 yards and nine TDs.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter*@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.*
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Carolina Panthers pick Tennessee's Chris Brazzell in 2026 NFL Draft