On Friday, Tennessee football star wide receiver Chris Brazzell saw his dreams become a reality. In the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the 83rd overall pick, he was selected by the Carolina Panthers.
How does Brazzell fit in with the Panthers, though? ESPN slots him as the backup receiver under Tetairoa McMillan, the eighth overall selection for Carolina just a year ago. McMillan caught 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie and is projected to be a key piece of the offense next season.
On the other side, Xavier Legette is projected to start on the outside. Legette was a first-round pick in the 2024 draft, but is still fighting to find a consistent footing. He caught 35 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns last season. His backup is John Metchie III, beginning his first year with the franchise.
This means Brazzell should get his opportunity to break into the offense this year. If McMillan meets his projection, Brazzell might be more so in a competition with Legette and Metchie for snaps in the offense.
From Big Orange to Big Cat@Vol_Football | #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/zRCd5wlU2J
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 25, 2026
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Now, Brazzell joins the NFL team he grew up rooting for, despite being from Midland, Texas. This choice stems from a youth football team he played for, also named the Panthers.
Brazzell proved to be one of the most reliable options and big-play threats in the SEC this past season. He totalled 1,017 yards on 62 receptions for a total of nine touchdowns. This included an incredible showing in the narrow home loss to Georgia, featuring 177 yards and three touchdowns on six receptions.
