Tennessee Football landed four players on the preseason All-SEC list from the media on Friday, which came at the conclusion of the four-day SEC Media Days event this week in Tampa, FL. Vols running back DeSean Bishop, offensive lineman David Sanders Jr., offensive lineman Wendell Moe, and linebacker Arion Carter all made the cut as third-team selections.
But one name was notably absent from the three-team list. That would be redshirt sophomore wide receiver Braylon Staley, who emerged as a breakout receiver and the SEC Freshman of the Year after a superb season last fall. During the Vols’ 2025 campaign, Staley had 837 yards (8th in SEC) and six touchdowns (t-4th in SEC) on 68 receptions.
Rocky Top Insider created a poll after the All-SEC preseason list was revealed on Friday, asking fans to pick one Vol who they felt was snubbed from a spot on the list. The options were Staley, CB Ty Redmond, LB Amare Campbell, and other. Staley ran away with the voting at 89.8%, showing that Tennessee fans overwhelmingly believed that he was the top guy to get snubbed from a spot on the list.
Staley plays with a chip on his shoulder, though. And if he cares about this preseason recognition at all, it’ll be used as motivation for the upcoming season. Maybe he doesn’t care about it, and he’s just going to go about his business as usual. But if you’re looking for a player who didn’t make the preseason list who has a solid chance of making the postseason list, Staley is as good of a candidate as any.
Here’s a look at how Braylon Staley’s 2025 stats compare to the six wide receivers who did get tagged for the preseason All-SEC selections:
| Receptions | Touchdowns | Yards | AVG | Long | |
| UT Braylon Staley (NR) | 68 | 6 | 837 | 12.3 | 73 |
| TEX Cam Coleman (1st) | 56 | 5 | 708 | 12.6 | 46 |
| ALA Ryan Coleman-Williams (1st) | 49 | 4 | 689 | 14.1 | 75 |
| A&M Mario Craver (2nd) | 59 | 4 | 917 | 15.5 | 86 |
| OU Isaiah Sategna (2nd) | 67 | 8 | 965 | 14.4 | 87 |
| TEX Ryan Wingo (3rd) | 54 | 7 | 834 | 15.4 | 75 |
| SC Nyck Harbor (3rd) | 30 | 6 | 618 | 20.6 | 80 |
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After only playing in four games during his true freshman season in 2024, Staley earned a role as a starter in the slot in 2025. He started all 13 games for the Vols last season and was named a semifinalist for the National Freshman of the Year award.
Staley’s biggest games last season came against Arkansas (109 yards), Kentucky (105 yards), Georgia (97 yards), Syracuse (95 yards), and Alabama (92 yards). He had a four-week stretch from Oct. 11 to Nov. 1 that saw him rack up 381 yards and three touchdowns on 27 receptions, all in SEC games.
Staley returns to the starting lineup along with Mike Matthews for the 2026 season. The third starting spot is a bit of a mystery after Chris Brazzell’s departure. Tennessee could use Radarious Jackson, Travis Smith, or true freshman TK Keys in that spot. We’ll see how everything shakes out during fall camp next month.
Head coach Josh Heupel broke down Staley’s game during a Film Room session with Voice of the Vols Mike Keither earlier in the offseason. Check it out below:
