Chris Brazzell II hasn't played a regular-season snap yet. But after his introduction to the NFL at the Carolina Panthers' rookie minicamp, general manager Dan Morgan already looks smart for taking him in the third round.
The 6-foot-4 wide receiver out of Tennessee was the clear standout, according to those in attendance. Brazzell hauled in a ridiculous sideline grab from undrafted quarterback Haynes King that had people talking, even if his feet landed out of bounds.
For a guy in his second pro practice, the degree of difficulty alone turns heads.
"Just get in his area," King said afterward. "He's got a huge catch radius and just give him a chance on the ball, he's going to come down with it for sure."
Carolina Panthers rookie Chris Brazzell II has already made a believer out of Dave Canales
That's the Brazzell pitch in one sentence.
Head coach Dave Canales wasn't waiting for minicamp to make up his mind. He called Brazzell one of his favorite players in the entire draft, and that impression formed long before Carolina was on the clock. From the NFL Scouting Combine interview to the pre-draft visit and Zoom calls, the pass-catcher kept standing out.
"The football skills and the speed, the ability to track the ball down the field at his height to be able to drop his weight, get in and out of breaks, it's rare," Canales said. "We were just really, really excited that we were able to just stay put where we were at and he came to us in the third round."
That last part matters. The Panthers didn't trade up. Brazzell fell to them at pick No. 83, and Canales was "so excited" when it happened. That's not a guy they settled for.
The tape backs up the hype. Brazzell led the SEC in receiving yards per game (84.8) and touchdowns (nine) last season, finishing with 62 catches for 1,017 receiving yards. He caught 13 of 23 targets of 20-plus yards — a jump ball win rate that makes him a weapon on any given deep shot.
Brazzell also knows exactly what he's walking into. He grew up a Panthers fan, watching the Cam Newton teams in the 2010s. Last season, he watched games from Knoxville while finishing his degree.
"Bryce is a baller," he said Saturday. "TMac, clearly a baller. Jalen Coker, he's a baller. Legette's a baller. All them guys are some ballers."
The Panthers' offense last year struggled to generate consistent, explosive plays. Quarterback Bryce Young can throw the deep ball, but someone has to go get it.Â
That's exactly what Brazzell is built for.
His acceleration reaches top speed in a hurry, letting him stack corners and keep them behind him going downfield. Once he gains a step, it's over.
It's early days, but so far, so good.
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