Recruit Snapshot: Braylon Staley

Josh Heupel and Tennessee have had program changing success with a blisteringly fast receiver from South Carolina already. Jalin Hyatt rewrote the single season record books at Wide Receiver U during the 2022 season. Hyatt made massive play after massive play, en route to being selected by the New York Giants in this year’s NFL Draft. The Vols have missed the production and threat that Hyatt supplied in the 2023 season, however they feel that in the 2024 class, they have a young man who can fill that role in Braylon Staley.

Eerily Similar

Staley comes in at 6’0” tall and 185 pounds, from Strom Thurmond High School in Johnston, South Carolina. Hyatt came out of Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, South Carolina at 6’0” tall and 185 pounds. Staley is an accomplished track athlete, a two time the state champion in the high jump as well as a champion in the 200 meters. Hyatt, also, was an accomplished track athlete in high school, starring as a sprinter for Dutch Fork. I think it is easy to see where some.of these comparisons are coming from by now.

On the gridiron, Staley is an exceptionally productive receiver. He has grown his route tree since arriving at Strom Thurmond, able to better attack every level of the field. Staley has impeccable ball skills, meaning that 50-50 balls start looking more like 75-25 balls in his favor. While Staley is not exceptionally tall at 6’0”, he plays bigger than he measures thanks to strong hands and that championship high jump, able to get up over corners trying to defend him. Staley shows excellent body control, shielding defenders and defeating corners regularly with double moves.

Game Breaking Speed

Staley has multiple facets to his game, but the one that makes him great is his elite speed. Staley comes out of his stance like he is shot from a cannon, but what is more, he has a second gear that kicks in as sharply during his route. Against Silver Bluff, Staley had two touchdown receptions in the first quarter. On one, his route looked like a two stage rocket, the first stage coming off the line, the second coming when he turned his route up field off a double move. The corner never had a chance of catching up. If Staley gets a step downfield, the defenses is beaten. The corners simply are not going to catch him, and the safeties aren’t likely to get over the top in time to save the play. Now, Staley is limited a bit in high school on how deep down the field those routes can go, but in college? Hyatt illustrated just how wide open receivers with this skill set can get for Josh Heupel, and the quarterbacks in Knoxville have the arm to push it downfield to someone like Staley.

Hitting the Weights

Staley, again like Hyatt, is possessed of a slight frame. Packing muscle on without sacrificing speed is a point of emphasis for Staley, just like it was for Hyatt. Staley has hit the weight room hard, bulking up and looking like a thicker, more well muscled athlete even than he was a season ago. That work is already paying dividends as Staley proved to be a willing and effective blocker in Strom Thurmond’s screen game. Staley fires out and engages with defensive backs aggressively to create opportunities for his teammates. He is rewarded with his own opportunities by faking that block defenses must respect, and taking off up field. The weight work also shows up once Staley has the ball in his hands. He looks like a running back at times, powering through tackles this season that he would not have in the past.

Are the Expectations Fair?

Hyatt was the first ever Biletnikoff Award winner in the history of a place called Wide Receiver U. He left Knoxville with the all time single season yardage and receiving touchdown records. Had he returned for his senior year, he almost certainly would have made a run at the career records. That is a rare player to come through a program. To expect Staley to live up to those accolades isn’t fair to the young man. He is trying to be Bray Staley, not the next Jalin Hyatt. Still, Staley is aware of the comparisons and expectations. He seems to welcome them and is aiming for the same kind of success. Staley certainly has the skills to be a program changer in this offense. We’ve seen what the ceiling of this offense is with a receiver possessing the skills and physical attributes that Staley has. Staley may not change the record books in Knoxville, but he certainly has the tools and opportunity to do so. And if he does, expect Josh Heupel to be recruiting a 6’0” track star wide receiver from South Carolina every year moving forward.