Bru McCoy returns to Tennessee: 2024 wide receiver preview
Its official: Bru McCoy, who is recovering from a season-ending ankle injury, will play for Tennessee and bypass the 2024 NFL Draft. Bru announced the decision on X (formerly Twitter). Here is his official announcement:
McCoy had been considering another season with the Vols as of late. Recently, it was reported that rising star quarterback Nico Iamaleava was heavily recruiting Bru to come back and bring some experience to the Vols’ wide receiver room.
McCoy is a former 5-star recruit out of Santa Ana, California who played for USC before transferring to Tennessee in 2022. And in 2022, he showed how athletic of a wide receiver he is, with 667 yards and 4 touchdowns on 52 receptions including the historic 27-yard bullet from Hooker that set up the go-ahead field goal and Tennessee’s historic upset against Alabama.
With McCoy coming back for the 2024 season bringing experience and grit, Tennessee looks to be building a deep wide receiver room. 5-star Mike Matthews, 4-star Braylon Staley, and 4-star transfer Chris Brazzell out of Tulane were all added this recruiting cycle. Going into the 2024 offseason, here are the Vols top 9 Receivers.
Bru McCoy
McCoy is 6’3, and 220 pounds making him one the most physical and bruising receivers in College Football. He has proven to be one the best catching and blocking wide receivers as well. McCoy will be one of Iamaleava’s favorite targets for the red zone and tough 3rd downs.
Dont’e Thornton
The 6’5 speed demon who transferred out of Oregon this past year was hyped for a major role in 2023 but didn’t get much production before a season-ending injury. But, it usually takes transfers time to adjust to their new team and Heupel’s fast-paced offense is no exception.
Thornton ended the season early last year but looked to be getting into the groove when he was moved to outside receiver from the slot. And he looked natural as an outside receiver with his elite speed and size. If he continues to develop he will be a major deep threat for the new gunslinger.
Thorton had 224 yards and 1 touchdown on 13 catches in 2023.
Squirrel White
White had a great 2023 season leading the Vols with 803 yards and two touchdowns. White is a dynamic, fast slot receiver and might have put up even bigger numbers in 2023 if Milton was a little more efficient in the middle of the field. And, White could have been a little more sure-handed with some big drops.
But even so, White with his elite shiftiness and speed could be posed for a breakout junior season if he can work on his catching consistency and Nico plays more effectively than Milton.
Chris Brazzell
One of Tennessee’s biggest gets in the portal, the 6-5, 195-pound playmaker out of Tulane looks the part of an SEC receiver. If Brazzell learns Heupel’s system quickly this offseason he could be set for a breakout season in his first SEC season. And like Thornton, Brazzell still has 3 seasons of eligibility to play with star Nico Iamaleava.
Chas Nimrod
When Tennessee lost Bru McCoy early in the season, Chas Nimrod stepped up and filled in where needed. The 6-3, 196-pound redshirt freshman proved to be a versatile receiver and showed great hands in physical situations. He could see a lot of playing time being able to play any receiver slot.
Kaleb Webb
Another redshirt freshman who stepped up after McCoy’s injury, Webb saw some time on the field and caught 16 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown.
However, the 6-3, 198-pound freshman only plays outside receiver and will have a tough time competing with Thornton and Brazzell.
Mike Matthews
Williams is the gem of the Tennessee Vols 2024 recruiting class and the highest-rated wide receiver recruit in Tennessee history. And, he is already enrolled and practicing.
Matthews is a 6-2, 190-pound two-way player and an athletic freak. Literally, he’s on the 247 Sports 2023 ‘Freak List’. In his 2023 senior season, he caught 39 passes for 751 yards and nine touchdowns while also accumulating 48 tackles and 1 TFL. He also finished as the Georgia Region 4-AAAAAA Offensive Player of the Year.
Freshmen do not typically have big impacts during their true freshmen season, but not all freshmen recruits are athletic freaks like Mike Matthews.
Nathan Leacock
Another 4-star elite wide receiver, Leacock was the number 13 receiver in the 2023 recruiting cycle and is a raw talented receiver with a high ceiling. Being 6-3 and 210 pounds, Leacock is an exact copy of Thorton and Brazzell with blazing speed and playmaking abilities. But, with the addition of Brazzell and Thorton, Leacock will see limited time most likely, unless he makes a huge jump.
Braylon Staley
Last but not least, Staley is another high-level recruit from the 2024 cycle. A top-100 national player, Staley is a fast deep threat with great hands. He is also a multisport champion, winning multiple South Carolina 4A track and field championships. He showed that athleticism his senior year with 1166 yards and 14 touchdowns on 69 receptions.
Tennessee has a very deep receiver room heading into the 2024 season and that’s not including the addition of the number one tight end from the portal with Holden Staes and the 2023 number one tight end recruit Ethan Davis. And, it's just in time for the Nico Era to kick off.
