What Is Braylon Staley's Role In Tennessee's Offense?

Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Braylon Staley goes from redshirt to impact player. How will he impact the team during the 2025 season?

Tennessee's offseason departures at the wide receiver position have been well-documented. The Volunteers return one receiver, redshirt junior Chris Brazzell II, who had over 10 receptions during the 2024 season. The rest departed, either to the NFL or via the transfer portal.

Brazzell figures to be a mainstay in the rotation this fall. Sophomore wide receiver Mike Matthews is a former five-star who will get every opportunity this fall. However, those two returners still leave the Volunteers without a proven option in the slot, something the coaching staff has come to terms with throughout the spring. While they won't have much experience there, they are confident in what they have: redshirt freshman Braylon Staley.

Staley is a product of Aiken, South Carolina. During his senior season for Strom Thurmond High School, he amassed 69 receptions for 1,166 yards and 14 touchdowns, drawing the attention of many major programs. He chose Tennessee over Clemson, Miami, and North Carolina. The South Carolina Gamecocks also made a push ahead of early national signing day, but Staley maintained his commitment until the very end.

He spent his true freshman season learning the intricacies of the offense, adjusting to life as a college player. Staley got some run in the College Football Playoff game against the Ohio State Buckeyes and appeared against UTEP. He'll go from an extreme depth piece to one of the most featured players on the offensive side of the football.

Staley admitted it was hard to ride the bench during his true freshman season in a media availability earlier this spring. "This year I'm just trying to come in with a statement to prove to myself that I could have been on the field last year," he explained.

Head coach Josh Heupel has been pleased with how Staley has come along this spring. "Just how he's continued to grow, and that's last fall, the steps that he continued to take, what he's done the first five days of spring ball," Heupel told reporters. "He's been super consistent. Has a great understanding within the scope of what we're doing offensively. Has the ability to recognize, identify coverage, get to the right spot in zone, man looks, and has played really long over the middle of the football field the first part of spring ball."

Staley's unique athletic traits have always made him a fit for the slot role at the University of Tennessee. He has legitimate long speed that strikes fear into defensive backs, the short-area quickness to run a full route tree, and strong hands at the catch point. It'll be about putting everything together these next few months to prepare for the fall, but Staley appears to be pacing well.