Top 2026 QB Faizon Brandon commits to Tennessee

Quarterback Faizon Brandon, the top overall prospect in the Class of 2026, committed to Tennessee on Saturday. Ranked No. 1 in his class by 247Sports, Brandon chose the Volunteers over Alabama, LSU and N.C. State. Brandon told GoVols247 that he had been set on Tennessee for months. "Every time I went back, it seems like I'm just building a new relationship every time," Brandon said. "This last time that I just went there, it seemed like I have good relationships with people on each side of the ball. You don't really get that everywhere, where you're able to talk about anything with anybody on each side of the ball." The fact that Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel and quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle are former signal-callers was also a key selling point, Brandon said. "He knows what it takes to be a great quarterback and how quarterbacks like to be taught," Brandon said of Heupel. " ... Coach Joey playing quarterback, also, I feel like they know how to develop me into a great player and know how to handle me, and know what quarterback's like and how to teach them the right way." Brandon announced his commitment during a ceremony at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, N.C., which was live streamed on 247Sports' YouTube channel. The 6-foot-4 quarterback completed 69 percent of his passes while leading Grimsley to a 13-1 record as a sophomore last fall. Brandon threw for 3,026 yards and 36 touchdowns against three interceptions last season. He also rushed for 528 yards and nine scores. --Field Level Media