The top-ranked player in the 2026 college football recruiting class has made his decision.
Quarterback Faizon Brandon made his commitment announcement on Saturday, August 3. He left the crowd in suspense for a moment before donning a Tennessee Volunteers hat, sharing that he'd be playing for Josh Heupel and his staff after high school.
247Sports provided a video of the announcement via X .
Brandon comes out of Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. He's a 5-star recruit and the No. 1 player in the 2026 recruiting class. The 6-foot-3 quarterback had also been considering the LSU Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, and in-state N.C.State Wolfpack, but ultimately decided on Tennessee.
"Ascending signal caller that possesses a rare blend of pocket-passer size and dual-threat athleticism to go along with a high-powered arm," 247Sports scout Andrew Ivins wrote . "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."
It's a massive win for Heupel and his staff, who have continued to dominate the 2025 class as well. Along with stealing a top tight end recently from the Oregon Ducks, the Volunteers have assembled the eight-best recruiting class for the cycle. The group of recruits is highlighted by another quarterback in George MacIntryre , a top-50 recruit nationally.
These recruiting classes will allow the Volunteers to continue contending in the SEC. After a modest 7-6 season in Heupel's first year as head coach, he's turned the program around with a 20-6 record over the last two seasons, including back-to-back bowl wins over the Clemson Tigers and Iowa Hawkeyes.
It'll take some time for Brandon to be ready to start for an SEC program, but once he does, he could end up being one of the biggest stars in college football.
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