05-08-2025
WR Braylon Staley misses Tennessee football practice as Mike Matthews returns from injury
Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews returned to football practice but wide receiver Braylon Staley was sidelined as the Vols endure a carousel of injuries at an already thin position.
Staley, a redshirt freshman, was present at practice on Aug. 5, but he remained on the sideline alongside other injured players. His status and specific injury are unspecified. He missed much of spring practice with a nagging hamstring injury.
Matthews missed the Aug. 3 practice. He is now back but wearing a brace on his knee. Chris Brazzell, UT's most experienced receiver, remains out with an injury.
Matthews, Brazzell and Staley are UT's projected starters at wide receiver, but they haven't practiced together on the same day during this preseason.
It's a frustrating development for the Vols, who are trying to identify a new starting quarterback. Joey Aguilar, Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre are competing for the starting quarterback spot, but they've had fewer reps than they'd like with the team's top three receivers.
Once again, UT had only five healthy scholarship wide receivers at practice. They included Matthews, redshirt freshman Amari Jefferson, freshman Travis Smith, freshman Radarius Jackson and freshman Joakim Dodson.
Among those five available scholarship receivers, only Matthews has played in a college game. Jefferson, an Alabama transfer, missed the 2024 season due to injury.
UT must replace its top three receivers from last season. Dont'e Thornton was drafted in the fourth round by the Las Vegas Raiders. Bru McCoy exhausted his eligibility and retired from football after fighting through injuries. Squirrel White transferred to Florida State.
BOO CARTER He visits children's hospital in ongoing reinstatement to Vols
UT has talent at wide receiver, but its inexperienced. Matthews was a five-star recruit, but he had only seven catches for 90 yards and two TDs last season. Staley had three catches for 21 yards.
Brazzell is the returning leader with 29 receptions for 333 yards and two TDs.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Braylon Staley injury update: Tennessee football WR out as Mike Matthews returns
