Could Radarious Jackson be Faizon Brandon's top receiver?
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With Faizon Brandon officially being named the Tennessee Volunteers' starting quarterback to begin the 2026 season, a handful of questions come to mind.
Perhaps the most important of these questions, though, is: who will emerge as Brandon’s top weapon?
While receivers Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews, along with tight end Ethan Davis seem as perhaps the most obvious choices, I believe Tennessee’s secret weapon could be buried in the wide receiver depth chart.
Meet Radarious Jackson, a 6-foot-2, 208-pound Memphis native who possesses the largest catch radius of any Tennessee receiver.
It is highly unlikely that head coach Josh Heupel’s playbook will be at Brandon's full disposal, given the freshman signal-caller only turned 18 in June.
Therefore, Jackson’s athletic frame and sure hands make him an obvious candidate for a breakout season.
Though the sophomore caught just nine passes for 90 yards across nine games played in 2025, he was stuck behind the likes of Matthews, Staley, and now Carolina Panthers receiver Chris Brazzell II.
Jackson’s impact in 2025 was also restrained by his lack of collegiate experience, as the 2025 SEC Academic Honor Roll student was mostly focused on acclimating to his new environment, and learning the playbook.
This time around, though, Jackson feels prepared to take on a larger role within the Tennessee offense.
“[I am] more comfortable with the offense and the playbook,” Jackson said. “[I am] just focusing on [getting] better.”
And though Matthews and Staley return to the Volunteers in 2026, it may be a moot point for Jackson.
If Jackson has built a strong rapport with Brandon throughout training camp, and continues to do so in the early parts of the 2026 season, the Volunteers’ coaching staff will find ways to implement him into the offense, if they are smart.
Though the sophomore may not be as naturally talented as some of the other Volunteer receivers, his presence would make Brandon more comfortable, and would play a key role in the development of the young quarterback.
In his high school class, Jackson was ranked as a top 10 prospect in the state of Tennessee, and is now an exciting ingredient in a budding young offensive core.
The receiver’s talent also extends well beyond just his ability as a possession receiver.
Between his final two seasons at the high school level, Jackson generated more than 3,000 yards of total offense.
Thrusting Jackson into a starting role would also pay dividends elsewhere in the Volunteers’ wide receiver room, as it would afford five-star freshman T.K. Keys an opportunity to learn the offense, without the pressure of making an immediate impact.
Overall, Jackson’s expanded role within the offense would not only maximize Tennessee’s win-now potential, but also pave the way for an exciting future.
