Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II appears on track for Day 2 draft capital. But, a source with access to team insights informed Draft Sharks about potential character concerns that could cause a draft-day fall. “I was told he is the offensive version of James Pearce.” Brazzell wowed at the Combine at 6’4, 198 pounds running a 4.37 40, but fantasy managers should be aware of off-field concerns.
Falcons DE James Pearce was charged with three felonies last month, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person. Plus, a misdemeanor stalking charge against his ex-girlfriend WNBA player Rickea Jackson.
Pearce had some character red flags heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, but nothing to this magnitude. For Brazzell to draw comparisons to Pearce should draw some pause from NFL teams who will likely be making a top-100 investment in Brazzell.
Brazzell already had character red flags going into the process.
In 2025, he was arrested in August for speeding and driving on a suspended license. Brazzell was stopped in downtown Knoxville for driving 60 mph in a 35 mph zone near campus.
Brazzell's license was suspended due to a previous failure to appear in court in 2024
An arrest for speeding on a suspended license may not be a huge, glaring red flag alone. But NFL teams will certainly be digging into the bigger character picture that caused Brazzell to have a suspended license and continue driving in the first place.
If there are bigger actions and concerns that haven't been reported, that could lead to a draft day fall.
We outlined the upside of Brazzell in our rookie guide:
Brazzell is one of the purest vertical bets in the 2026 class. After a shoulder injury limited him to two games in 2022, he rebounded in 2023 before transferring to Tennessee. Brazzell led the SEC in regular-season receiving yards in 2025.
Brazzell brings uncommon length and a massive catch radius. He stacks corners vertically, tracks the ball naturally, and wins at the high point.
The concerns: Physical press coverage exposes his thin frame, and his route tree remains limited. He wins vertically but struggles to separate underneath.
That type of physical upside will make some NFL team take a chance on him. But if Brazzell does fall in the draft, it could lean more to the off-field issues rather than his on-field potential.
Brazzell remains at WR8 in our PPR rookie WR rankings
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