Tennessee is starting the 2026 recruiting class off with a bang.
Class of 2026 quarterback Faizon Brandon announced his commitment to Tennessee on Saturday afternoon to give the Vols their first commitment in the cycle. Brandon committed to Tennessee over Alabama, LSU, and NC State.
The Greensboro, N.C., native announced his commitment on 247 Sports’ YouTube channel on Saturday.
Brandon is the top overall prospect in 247 Sports’ initial 2026 rankings with a five-star rating while also holding a four-star rating on Rivals, On3, and ESPN. 247 Sports’ Composite Rankings have Brandon as the No. 30 prospect overall, the No. 4 quarterback in the class, and the No. 3 player from the state of North Carolina.
Brandon continues Josh Heupel’s trend of landing highly-touted quarterbacks with Nico Iamaleava in 2023, Jake Merklinger in 2024, George MacIntyre in 2025, and now Faizon Brandon in the 2026 class.
Brandon visited Rocky Top a handful of times in 2024 during the lead-up to his decision including junior day in February, the spring game in April, Night at Neyland in June, and an unofficial visit this past weekend on June 27.
The 6-foot-3.5, 197-pound quarterback is instantly a gem in Tennessee’s 2026 class with a blank canvas to work around as the Vols’ lone commit. But with the caliber of play that he brings to the table, Brandon is certainly the type of player who attracts more high-end talent around him. Josh Heupel and his recruiting staff now have a landmark player to build around over the next 12+ months on the trail.
More from RTI: Tennessee Commit Faizon Brandon Must-See Quarterback Highlights
Brandon is a multi-sport athlete at Grimsley High School in Greensboro. In addition to his football skillset, Brandon also has a knack for the hardwood. Brandon, a forward, averaged 11.4 points on 54 percent shooting, 7.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks during the 2023-2024 season with the Whirlies.
Brandon was the second-string varsity quarterback during his freshman season but was elevated to starter as a sophomore in 2023. The moment wasn’t too big for the young quarterback, either, as he led Grimsley to a 13-1 overall record with their lone loss coming in the North Carolina 4A State quarterfinals. Brandon threw for 231 yards and one touchdown on 21-of-33 passing during the 44-27 loss to 1-seed Weddington High School. Prior to that loss, though, Faizon led the Whirlies to three playoff wins by scores of 54-0, 56-24, and 42-35.
All in all, Brandon tallied 3,026 yards, 36 touchdowns, and three interceptions on 191-of-277 passing during his 2023 sophomore season. Brandon showed a high level of play at the position at such a young age and has a great frame to continue to build around. Brandon will also be entering just his second season starting as a Tennessee commit.
247 Sports’ Director of Scouting Andrew Ivens reported that Brandon has worked out with former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker as two players from the same area in North Carolina.
“Accurate to the numbers, and has found plenty of success attacking the intermediate level, but deep ball placement can be a bit uneven,” Ivins evaluated of Brandon in April. “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.”
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel spoke about the importance of North Carolina to the Vols’ revamped recruiting efforts. While the Vols have only had one commitment from the Tar Heel State in the last two cycles, Heupel sees it as a major opportunity not too far away from East Tennessee.
“It is important for us,” Heupel said of The Tar Heel State. “It’s a border state. We continue or we believe, look at it, view it as a part of our footprint. We’re intentional in how we recruit that state.”
Tennessee did sign two North Carolina players in the 2023 recruiting class with defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs and wide receiver Nathan Leacock. Hobbs is a good candidate for a breakout season in 2024 while Leacock has been working hard to enter the Vols’ stout receiver rotation.
While Brandon is Tennessee’s only commit in the early stages of the 2026 class, his commitment does come in the midst of a heater from Heupel and his staff in the 2025 cycle. Tennessee has landed 11 commitments from class of 2025 prospects since the start of June with eight four-star players and one Oregon flip. The Vols are also looking to land offensive lineman David Sanders Jr., the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect, when he makes his decision on Aug. 17.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee football recruiting news.
