Tennessee has pair of WR prospects in Braylon Staley, Mike Matthews
It is not often that you see two players from the same position group, at the same school, go in the earlier rounds of the NFL Draft. However, keep a close eye on Tennessee's receiving corps for 2027, because the potential is definitely there. Last year's #1 wide receiver, Chris
It is not often that you see two players from the same position group, at the same school, go in the earlier rounds of the NFL Draft. However, keep a close eye on Tennessee's receiving corps for 2027, because the potential is definitely there. Last year's #1 wide receiver, Chris Brazzell , is now gone, having been drafted by his favorite team growing up, the Carolina Panthers .
Brazzell went in the third round, with the 83rd overall pick.
Now we'll see who steps up to become the Volunteers' new go to receiver- Braylon Staley or Mike Matthews. The Vols' #2 and #3 receivers last year, they put up very similar numbers in 2025. Staley caught 68 balls for 837 yards and six touchdowns while Matthews had 53 receptions for 813 yards and four touchdowns.
Staley is looking like a second or third round pick at this point while Matthews projects as a round three or four guy. No college football player and/or NFL Draft prospect is ever a finished product, but Staley (a redshirt sophomore) seems to be further along on his developmental journey than Matthews (a junior this season) currently is. Staley is your prototypical slot receiver, or at least that is how he would project at the next level.
He brings top end speed, great size and elite route running ability. Matthews meanwhile is the top deep threat on Rocky Top, as he has 4.4 speed. A consensus top 50 recruit coming out of high school, he enters this season in a kind of similar way to how Vols men's basketball star Nate Ament began this past season. We're waiting to see him fully live up to his complete potential.
As Ament is described by Ratings.org : "Scouts marvel at his skill set and raw talent. His natural abilities are pretty awe-inspiring, but his game still needs some polish." The same can be said of Matthews.
Of course, Ament is projected to go somewhere in the lottery , maybe even the top ten overall, in the NBA Draft later on this month. And if he were to truly reach the highest of his expectations, then Matthews could be Tennessee's football version of Ament.
Obviously, it's setting a very high bar, but hey, it's the summer preseason, so right now, anything can happen.
