Panthers' Chris Brazzell II following father's footsteps as coach Dave Canales' 'favorite' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A second-generation NFL Draft pick, Chris Brazzell II wanted to set the record straight.
The former Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver may have posted a quick 4.37-second 40-yard dash during the recent NFL Scouting Combine, but Brazzell disputed the time.
"At the combine, the laser, it will get you off any moment," Brazzell said during his introductory teleconference after being selected by the Panthers in the third round last Friday night. "I moved slightly and before I even got to running, it's like 0.4 seconds already (gone).
Dave Canales shrugged off the minor lapse. The Panthers' third-year coach was already a fan.
Born into a pro football household, Brazzell's father, Chris, was a 1998 sixth-round pick by the New York Jets and spent two seasons with the organization before spending seven seasons in the Canadian Football League.
The younger Brazzell's competitiveness and understanding of the minutiae of performance are evident from his nurturing.
Listed at 6-foot-4, 198 pounds, Brazzell's speed and length should provide 5-10 quarterback Bryce Young with a big down-the-field target, a prototypical Z-type receiver.
"He's one of my favorite players in the draft," Canales said. "I think about the space created when (defenses) know this is a real burner.
"We weren't expecting Chris to be there (at No. 83 overall). We were sitting there, waiting ..."
To add Brazzell to a receiving corps that includes 6-5 Tetairia McMillan, 6-3 Jalen Coker and 6-3 Xavier Legette.
Is Brazzell's addition a signal that Canales planned to open up his run-first offense?
While Young ranked No. 28 in completed air yards per completion (4.8) and completed air yards per pass attempt (3.1), the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick started to break out during the Panthers' second-half run to an NFC South title.
Young completed a career-best 20 passes with 20-plus air yards, second among starting quarterbacks last season.
"We've seen how we've been able to use Xavier, TMac, Jalen with all the intermediate stuff and we've gone down the field a little bit," Canales said.
With Brazzell, will that "little bit" continue to expand?