Tennessee landed a historic commitment Saturday when Faizon Brandon, the top overall prospect in the Class of 2026, announced his commitment to the Volunteers live on CBS Sports HQ. The five-star quarterback picked Tennessee over Alabama, LSU and NC State to give the Vols their first-ever pledge from a top-ranked player in the 247Sports era.
Brandon received the No. 1 ranking in the initial Top247 rankings in April following a standout sophomore season at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. The 6-foot-4 QB led Grimsley to a 13-1 record while connecting on 69% of his passes for 3,026 yards with 36 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also flashed his mobility with 528 yards rushing and nine touchdowns.
The young star boasts what 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins described as “a rare blend of pocket-passer size and dual-threat athleticism to go along with a high-powered arm.” Though he plans to stick exclusively with football at the next level, Brandon’s athleticism is also evident on the hardwood, where he offered significant contributions to a Grimsley basketball team that finished 23-6 in 2023-24.
Brandon is Tennessee’s first commitment from the Class of 2026 and a potential anchor for the Volunteers to build around as they seek to cement their spot as one of the nation’s top offensive programs behind fourth-year coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo scheme.
Scouting report on Brandon
With a rare combination of passing precision and mobility, Brandon will have the tools to compete for the starting job at Tennessee early in his career. Here is more on his game from Ivins’ scouting report:
Rhythmic as a passer, getting the ball out fast and to his playmakers. Likes to stay on schedule with his clean footwork and shows poise in the face of pressure. Accurate to the numbers, and has found plenty of success attacking the intermediate level, but deep ball placement can be a bit uneven. Effective on designed runs with his acceleration and his natural twitch in both the upper and lower halves is ideal for run-pass options. Certainly benefited from throwing to a pair of Power Four wide receivers in his first year as a starter, but game tape shows a potential game-breaker at the next level that’s just starting to scratch the surface of what he could be, especially when you factor that he’s younger for the grade.
As Ivins noted, Brandon had a pair of elite receiver talents at his disposal last season in Terrell Anderson and Alex Taylor, who are both now college freshmen. Anderson ranked as a four-star prospect and is at NC State, while Taylor was a three-star prospect who landed at North Carolina.
But even without Anderson and Taylor at Grimsley in 2024, Brandon is still expected to shine as the top quarterback prospect in his class. While the majority of the top prospects in the Class of 2026 are uncommitted, quarterbacks are unique as the importance and singularity of the position lead programs to plan years in advance. Brandon is the ninth quarterback among the top 12 at the position to commit from the class.
History for Tennessee
Brandon’s commitment continues a strong run of quarterback recruiting for Tennessee under Heupel. Redshirt freshman and projected starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava finished the 2023 recruiting cycle ranked No. 2 overall in the Top247 Rankings. True freshman Jake Merklinger was a four-star prospect in the 2024 class, and the Vols also have a pledge from four-star Class of 2025 QB George McIntyre.
Like Iamaleava, running back Bryce Brown was considering the No. 2 prospect (247Sports Composite) in 2009. The Volunteers also landed the nation’s No. 3 overall prospect in the Class of 2007 when safety Eric Berry committed. While the Class of 2026 rankings could still fluctuate over the next 18-plus months, Brandon would be a historic addition if he retains the No. 1 overall spot and signs with the Volunteers.