2026 Tennessee football position preview: Wide receivers
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Tennessee will kick off its 2026 football season with 16 wide receivers on roster.
Chris Brazzell II, the Vols’ top wide receiver for receiving yards (1,017) and receiving touchdowns (nine) in 2025, was selected in the third round by Carolina in the NFL draft (No. 83 overall).
Braylon Staley, Tennessee’s leader for receptions (68) last season, returns as a redshirt sophomore in 2026. The 6-foot, 190-pound wide receiver totaled 68 receptions for 837 yards and six touchdowns.
Staley earned 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year honors from SEC coaches and the Associated Press. He became the third player in program history to earn the honor, joining Jamal Lewis (1997) and quarterback Peyton Manning (1994).
As a freshman in 2024, Staley appeared in four contests and earned a redshirt. He recorded three receptions for 21 yards.
Mike Matthews also enters his third season with the Vols in 2026. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound wide receiver appeared in 24 games, including 13 starts, from 2024-25. He recorded 60 receptions for 903 yards and six touchdowns.
In 2025, Matthews totaled 53 receptions for 813 yards and four touchdowns. He also recorded 32 rushing yards on two attempts.
Redshirt junior wide receiver Ian Duarte enters his first season at Tennessee in 2026.
The 5-foot-10, 181-pound wide receiver transferred to Vols after playing three seasons at Idaho State. He appeared in 24 games for the Bengals from 2023-25, recording 95 receptions for 1,035 yards and six touchdowns.
Duarte also totaled 17 rushing yards on six attempts, while recording 113 punt return yards and 242 kick return yards for Idaho State.
Radarious Jackson returns for his second season after appearing in nine contests in 2025. The 6-foot-2, 208 pound sophomore totaled nine receptions for 90 yards. Jackson’s longest reception was 19 yards.
Travis Smith Jr. also enters his second campaign with the Vols. He recorded three receptions and 29 receiving yards in seven contests last season.
Freshman wide receiver TK Keys enrolled early at Tennessee in January and participated in spring football practices. The 6-foot-2, 198 pound freshman is from Hattiesburg High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 247Sports ranked him as the No. 1 wide receiver in the class and No. 1 player in Mississippi.
Tyreek King also enters his first season at Tennessee in 2026. The 5-foot-11, 175 pound freshman is from Catholic High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. He enrolled at Tennessee in June.
The Vols’ 2025 season ended in the Music City Bowl versus Illinois. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Joakim Dodson returned two kick returns for 114 yards, including a 94-yard return for a touchdown, in the season finale.
The 6-foot, 197-pound wide receiver appeared in five games for the Vols in 2025, earning a redshirt. Dodson totaled two receptions for 38 yards.
2026 Tennessee football roster: Wide receivers
| Name(class) | Height-weight | Number |
| Brayden Carroll (freshman) | 6-foot-1, 188 pounds | 38 |
| JaColby Cooper (freshman) | 6-foot, 170 pounds | 30 |
| Lane Cope (freshman) | 5-foot-9, 180 pounds | 31 |
| Joakim Dodson (redshirt freshman) | 6-foot, 197 pounds | 9 |
| Ian Duarte (redshirt junior) | 5-foot-10, 181 pounds | 81 |
| Deon Hardin (senior) | 6-foot, 189 pounds | 88 |
| Jack-Henry Jakobik (redshirt junior) | 6-foot-4, 198 pounds | 29 |
| Radarious Jackson (sophomore) | 6-foot-2, 208 pounds | 3 |
| Tyreek King (freshman) | 5-foot-11, 175 pounds | 19 |
| TK Keys (freshman) | 6-foot-2, 198 pounds | 5 |
| Mike Matthews (junior) | 6-foot-1, 198 pounds | 4 |
| Ben Petermann (redshirt sophomore) | 6-foot-3, 208 pounds | 35 |
| Nathan Roberts (redshirt junior) | 6-foot-4, 209 pounds | 36 |
| Travis Smith Jr. (sophomore) | 6-foot-3, 215 pounds | 1 |
| Braylon Staley (redshirt sophomore) | 6-foot, 190 pounds | 14 |
| Luke Thompson (freshman) | 6-foot-1, 193 pounds | 85 |
Tennessee football receiving yard leaders each season under Josh Heupel
| Year | Player | Yards |
| 2026 | Chris Brazzell II | 1,017 |
| 2024 | Dont’e Thornton Jr. | 661 |
| 2023 | Squirrel White | 803 |
| 2022 | Jalin Hyatt | 1,267 |
| 2021 | Cedric Tillman | 1,081 |
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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: 2026 Tennessee football position preview: Wide receivers
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