With the news that Tennessee star wide receiver Chris Brazzell won’t play in Tuesday’s Music City Bowl due to opting out for the NFL Draft, the expectation is for two talented freshman players to get some increased snaps against Illinois in Nissan Stadium. We don’t know what the play time or the distribution will look like, but Josh Heupel does expect both players to get some run as the Volunteers look to add some playmaking in Brazzell’s absence.
Radarious Jackson and Travis Smith Jr. both came to Tennessee as four-star prospects in the 2025 signing class. Neither saw a ton of game action, considering both injuries and depth chart spots behind Tennessee’s starting trio that featured Brazzell, Mike Matthews, and Braylon Staley, but both did get some run on the field during their first season in Knoxville.
Jackson played in eight games and caught seven passes for 72 yards. His best showing came in a blowout win over ETSU, where he caught three passes for 35 yards. Jackson also tallied one catch in games against Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, and Vanderbilt. Smith, while hurt for a bulk of the middle of the season, caught three passes for 29 yards during the regular season. He caught two passes for 20 yards against ETSU and one pass for nine yards against UAB.
“Yeah, Radarious, Travis, both of those guys get in action, expect both of them to play at a really high level,” Heupel said during a pre-bowl press conference on Friday. “Those were guys that we had a lot of trust heading into the season based on what they had done during spring ball. Their maturity, their summer prep. Both of them got nicked up at different points during the season, but have finished in a great way, and expect them to play really well.”
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Jackson, a Memphis native, stands at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. He was the 30th-ranked wide receiver in the 2025 cycle and the 8th-ranked player from the state of Tennessee. Smith, meanwhile, was the 18th-ranked receiver in the class and the 19th-ranked player from the state of Georgia. The 6-foot-3 wideout hails from Westlake High School in Atlanta.
Jackson and Smith have both been listed as the backup outside receivers to Matthews and Brazzell throughout the season. While Brazzell is the only one of Tennessee’s starting three receivers who is expected to miss Tuesday’s game against the Fighting Illini, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see both freshmen get some key reps in the Music City Bowl. Both will be called upon to have an increased role in Tennessee’s 2026 offense with Brazzell heading to the NFL.
“I’m a pretty big receiver,” Jackson said about his game during fall camp. “Physical. I can go get the ball. Got route running, got a little speed on me. But my biggest strength? I’d say, like, a jump ball type guy.”
Tennessee (8-4) and Illinois (8-4) will clash in the Music City Bowl on Tuesday evening in Nashville to close down the season. The game will be broadcast at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee football coverage.
