Immediate Analysis: What Does Braylon Staley Bring To Rocky Top?

2024 four-star wide receiver Braylon Staley committed to the Tennessee Volunteers on Friday, and there's a lot to like about pairing his game with Tennessee's system.

Author:
Evan Crowell
Publish date:
Jun 30, 2023 4:15 PM EDT

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Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee picked up a big-time target on Friday afternoon, four-star wide receiver Braylon Staley (Aiken, S.C.) Staley chose the Vols over Clemson, Miami, and North Carolina, a major recruiting win for a squad that desperately needed another pass catcher in its 2024 class. The scheme fit between Staley and Tennessee is obvious, and when you turn on the tape, you can see why Tennessee pushed so hard on his official visit.

Staley stands 6-1 and 185 pounds, the ideal profile Tennessee looks for in its wide receivers. They recruit big bodies and slender, fast wideouts, but the Vols prefer a tweener-size that can do everything. Staley fits that description, as he has an elite athletic background that ensures he can beat defenders downfield, but he also has enough size to get physical with defensive backs at the line of scrimmage. He's a South Carolina 4A state champion in the 200-meter dash and in the triple jump, two impressive achievements that show up on film.

The calling card here is his contested catch ability. Staley operates as a Z-receiver, meaning he's playing outside the boundary on the strong side of the formation. The defense naturally has more bodies on this side of the field, making separation a rarity. Z-receivers must be able to provide a reliable target for their quarterback, knowing that more bodies are in the area. Staley does it with elite ball-tracking skills and his leaping ability. He's an ideal red zone target and makes plays over the top of defenses just as easily as he does running by them.

Corners often try to trap him up the sideline, using the boundary as an extra defender. Staley carries a lot of muscle in his upper body, allowing him to use his shoulders to push defenders inside and create natural leverage for himself. My biggest question is, when he gets to college and corners are 200+ pounds, does that strength still translate? It's not a huge worry if not because Staley has the length and frame to add 15 pounds of muscle if needed; it just may take another year of development before he sees the field.

He's fairly raw as a route-runner, which actually works in Tennessee's favor. They employ a specific route tree that creates the desired front-side offensive concepts. Staley comes in with no real preconceived notions about what a college route tree must be, so wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope gets to help build his foundation. Staley is an excellent scheme fit for a squad that is predicated on winning specific matchups, and he should make a ton of big plays in orange.

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