
Dwain McFarland breaks down the biggest takeaways from the Rookie Super Model's analysis of Chris Brazzell II.

Tennessee's Chris Brazzell II checks in as the WR8 in the 2026 Rookie Super Model, where I've profiled 25 of the top wide receivers in the class with individual Prospect Profiles from their Super Model data. For the full WR class, check out the 2026 WR Rookie Super Model.
If you're new to the model, here is an introductory breakdown of the Rookie Super Model, which rates players on a scale of 50 to 100 based on a composite score across Draft Capital, Production and Film. All of this data is integrated into our free NFL Draft Guide, full of big board rankings, mock drafts and more.
You can find a glossary of terms and stats used in this breakdown at the bottom of the prospect profile.

Brazzell was a three-star recruit out of Midland, Texas, in the 2022 recruiting class. He signed with Tulane, where he redshirted due to injury.
After a strong second season at Tulane, Brazzell entered the transfer portal as a four-star recruit. He transferred to Tennessee for his final two seasons.
His first season in Knoxville was lackluster, battling for playing time (59% route participation) and targets (16%) with Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Bru McCoy. Thornton was a Round 4 pick by the Raiders in the 2025 NFL Draft. McCoy, a former five-star recruit, was signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent.
Brazzell earned more playing time in his final season and led the team with 84 receiving yards per game and 9 TDs.
What the Production Says
Brazzell's production was up and down over his three healthy seasons, resulting in below-average marks in adjusted career RYPTPA. But he was a plus player when targeted. He finished his career with a 76 Production Rating in the model.
In his final season at Tulane in 2023, Brazzell posted a RYPTPA of 2.05 with a 21% target share after redshirting the season before due to a shoulder injury. He averaged 55 YPG and scored 5 TDs.
In his third season, his production dipped as he transitioned into the Volunteers' offense. His RYPTPA fell to 0.89 with only 26 YPG. Brazzell's final season (Year 4 of eligibility) was by far his best with 84 YPG and 9 receiving TDs. His RYPTPA reached 2.39, and he notched a 21% target share.
Josh Heupel's exotic scheme adds another layer of complexity for evaluating WRs at Tennessee. We have seen multiple WRs post significant RYPTPAs since Heupel took over in 2021:
Ultimately, Brazzell's production was average for an NFL Draft prospect. While the data points below aren't inputs to the model, they provide additional context on his production. They align with the overall sentiment of the Rookie Super Model:
Beyond the Production
Brazzell made his hay as a medium-to-deep target over his collegiate career.
He primarily aligned on the boundary, with 93% of his snaps coming out wide, and his career aDOT of 15.4 falls in the 73rd percentile. Typically, deep threats have lower YAC averages. That was the case for Brazzell (3.4), but he was below average after adjusting for aDOT with a -1.7 YAC over expected.
His career drop rate of 6% is slightly above average, but he improved in his final season with a rate of 2.3%. He was a below-average player in the contested-catch department at 41%.
Brazzell's Film Rating of 81 helps his model score. But the underlying currents within Lance Zierlein's prospect write-up mostly align with the data. Zierlein sees Brazzell as a field stretcher who can struggle as a pass catcher over the first two levels. Brazzell received a prospect grade of 6.36 (62nd percentile) from Zierlein.
Brazzell checks the size and speed boxes that NFL teams covet at 6-foot-4 (82nd percentile) with a 4.37-second 40-yard dash (79th percentile). He could immediately unlock playing time as a field stretcher, opening up space for the rest of the offense. The question is whether he can grow into a primary passing-game option.
Fantasy Outlook
Since 2018, 58 WRs have posted a Super Model rating between 71 and 81, with 36% delivering a top-36 finish by Year 3.
Brazzell's closest Super Model comps:
Bottom line: Brazzell checks the size and speed boxes that NFL teams like and could pay immediate dividends as a boundary field stretcher. However, whether he can grow into a high-volume player is a question mark. The Super Model views Brazzell as a mid-to-late second-round NFL pick. He is a boom-bust WR4 profile in fantasy football.
