Aside from the offensive line, Cleveland’s wide receiver room is another area that has to be addressed early on in the 2026 NFL Draft next month. If Andrew Berry and Co. choose to address offensive tackle at No.6, then there are a few receivers who could be viable options at picks No.24 or No.39.
Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell would probably be a better value at No.39 as of right now, but he’s a player who’s definitely rising up draft boards due to his surprising athleticism and short-area quickness despite being 6’4”.
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There’s been a lot of naysayers out there when it comes to drafting wide receivers from Tennessee, but Brazzell appears to be incredibly different on film than most Josh Heupel-groomed pass-catchers.
Yes, he wins vertically like every other Volunteer receiver, but he has legitimate contested-catch ability and can actually break down to be effective in quick-game schemes. He’s unusually good on whip routes and in-breakers and could provide a new type of weapon for Todd Monken to utilize in multiple areas of the field in 2026 and beyond.
He’s one of the better receivers in this class when it comes to performance at the catch-point as well. Very few players in this cycle are as consistent as Brazzell when it comes to the details, such as showing his hands late so defensive backs can’t swipe them away early. He also times his jumps well, which allows him to consistently be a rung or two higher than whoever is covering him.
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Depending on where he plays, either at “X” or “Z”, he’ll have to refine his release packages a bit more because NFL corners are going to be constantly jamming him to try and slow him down early on. Once he has an open running lane downfield, that 4.37 speed and long strides allow him to outrun almost any cornerback that’s covering him.
It’d be exciting to see a player like Brazzell rotating around on the outside with Jerry Jeudy and whoever else Cleveland decides to add to the wide receiver room in 2026. Brazzell would undoubtedly be a potential source of explosive play ability alongside Isaiah Bond going forward, and his versatility could be dangerous in a Todd Monken offense.
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