There were plenty of questions about what Tennessee football’s wide receiver room would look like this year. All of those questions have been positively answered through the opening three quarters of the season. Perhaps no spot is brighter going forward than in the slot, too, with redshirt freshman Braylon Staley breaking out as one of the top pass catchers in the SEC.
Staley has caught 52 passes for 703 yards and five touchdowns this season. That’s the fourth-most receiving yards in the conference and fifth-most touchdowns. His teammates, Chris Brazzell and Mike Matthews, are also on the list at No. 1 and No. 9, respectively, in receiving yards.
In the case of Staley, he’s getting much-deserved praise. The latest honor is being added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. The award annually recognizes the most outstanding pass catcher, regardless of position, in the FBS. Brazzell is also on the list.
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Staley has been a consistent piece of the offense all season, but his recent stretch of games has opened the eyes of pundits across the country.
Here’s what he’s done in the four most recent SEC matchups:
- vs. Arkansas – 6 receptions, 109 yards
- at Alabama – 10 receptions, 92 yards, 1 touchdown
- at Kentucky – 6 receptions, 105 yards
- vs. Oklahoma – 5 receptions, 75 yards, 2 touchdowns
Next, Tennessee and Staley will be back in action against New Mexico State following an open date. The Vols and Aggies kick off on Nov. 15 inside Neyland Stadium at 4:15 p.m. ET. The game will air on SEC Network.
Then, Tennessee heads south to play Florida in Gainesville. To round out the season, UT hosts Vanderbilt.
A spot in the playoffs is certainly a long shot given the 6-3 (3-3 SEC) record the Vols own through nine games. However, Tennessee could still play spoiler to the Commodores, which currently have two losses, in that final game.
