The future of Tennessee football’s quarterback position is in good hands.
Josh Heupel landed five-star signal caller Faizon Brandon in the 2026 cycle with no reason to worry he’s considering backing off his commitment. Instead, he’s been instrumental in helping bring more talent to Rocky Top. According to 247, Brandon is the No. 1 overall recruit in the class, regardless of position.
As fall camp for colleges is right around the corner, ESPN took a look at all of its five-star prospects that are committed in the upcoming class and analyzed how they’ll fit in come the 2026 season. At this point, ESPN likes the fit between Brandon and Tennessee.
“The departure of Nico Iamaleava could allow Brandon to battle for the starting job sooner rather than later in a very quarterback-friendly system,” the article wrote. “Several recent Volunteers quarterbacks have similar stature, athleticism and arm strength. Brandon is more advanced than Hendon Hooker at the same stage and the pair share several traits. Brandon is also much more accurate than Joe Milton. While he lacks Iamaleava’s polish at this stage, Brandon throws an exceptional deep ball, which is a requirement in this scheme that loves to attack vertically.”
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Out of Greensboro, North Carolina, Brandon plays for Grimsley High School. As a junior, he produced 2,159 passing yards and 27 touchdowns while throwing just one interception, according to the ESPN article.
He is the prized gem of the Vols’ 2026 recruiting class that is quickly coming into form over the last week. Tennessee’s group ranks as the No. 14 overall class according to 247 with 17 commits in the boat.
Brandon is joined by fellow five-star offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda at the top of the class. He also has three-star interior offensive lineman Edward Baker to help protect him at Tennessee. Weapons around Brandon in the class include high-four-star Tyreek King as a slot receiver, four-star athlete Legend Bey, who projects as a wide out, and four-star tight end Carson Sneed.
Other top targets are soon to come off the board, as well. Five-star running back Savion Hiter recently teased his announcement, with Tennessee considered high on his list. Two-way athlete Salesi Moa is also set to come off the board on Saturday and could be another passing target for Brandon.
