Tennessee football’s 8-4 (4-4 SEC) season left some room to be desired, but it still did produce some new stars. The Vols were led by a handful of breakout players who played a big role in earning the four SEC victories.
Now that the regular season is over and bowl season is underway, CBS‘ Blake Brockermeyer ranked the top 150 players in the country from the 2026 season. This included a trio of Tennessee players, No. 38 Chris Brazzell II, No. 83 Joey Aguilar and No. 116 Colton Hood.
Brazzell, who has already declared for the NFL draft, logged 62 receptions for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns this season. This mark could’ve been more, as well, but he was often interfered with on deep balls to give UT automatic first downs.
“Brazzell is a long, skilled receiver who stretches the field and thrives in contested-catch situations with his wingspan,” Brockermeyer wrote. “After a disappointing 2024 season, he rebounded to lead the SEC with more than 1,000 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Brazzell is a matchup problem with strong hands, size, length and explosive vertical ability.”
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Aguilar joined in the spring window to replace the departing Nico Iamaleava. He did a great job considering the circumstances, posting 3,444 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He is fighting for an additional year of eligibility at the moment, with none left by the current rules.
“Aguilar was a strong late addition for Tennessee and delivered a productive season, throwing for 3,444 yards and 24 touchdowns,” Brockermeyer wrote. “He shows a quick release and consistently throws receivers open against man coverage. Aguilar also throws an excellent deep ball and works through his progressions effectively, delivering the ball on time.”
Hood is off to the NFL draft, as he announced his intention on Wednesday. Hood finished the year with 50 tackles, eight passes deflected, a forced fumble, an interception and two touchdowns. He was named to the 2025 All-SEC Second Team by the AP for his year.
“Hood plays sticky coverage in man situations and tracks the football well to disrupt passes,” Brockermeyer wrote. “He is underrated in run support and shows a level of physicality that is uncommon at the position. Hood also displays excellent hips in zone coverage and the athleticism to change direction and close quickly in space.”
Some other Tennessee stars who didn’t make the cut included edge rusher Joshua Josephs and slot receiver Braylon Staley, who both certainly had cases to be included.
You can find the full rankings of the top 150 players in college football in the 2026 season here.
