Tennessee football is no longer home to the top 2026 recruit in the country, according to 247‘s new rankings. Instead, quarterback commit Faizon Brandon was stripped of the honor in the penultimate rankings. The class will get one final refresh in January.
Replacing Brandon atop the list is Houston quarterback commit Keisean Henderson. This also pushes Brandon back to the No. 2 quarterback in the class, though he still holds the honor as the top player out of North Carolina. He currently plays for Grimsley in Greensboro.
“Box-checking quarterback with the arm talent and dual-threat athleticism to light up scoreboards on Saturdays and then eventually Sundays,” 247 director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote about Brandon. “Looks the part with a budding frame that’s hovering right around 6-foot-3.5, 200 pounds and should only continue to get bigger as he will start college well before his 18th birthday. Uses a sturdy base and a smooth release to rip lasers to all different corners of the field. Ball at times will jump out of his hands as he hits his short and intermediate targets with conviction. Has spent the past two years coordinating a single-back, spread attack that’s heavy on the RPO looks. More than capable of moving the chains on designed runs with his power and acceleration. Those same legs allow him to shake his fair share of pressure and he has proven to be a rather accurate distributor on the move as he can throw with both touch and anticipation.”
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Tennessee has some additional movement in the class, as well. Wide receiver Tristen Keys went from No. 4 in the nation to No. 10. He did hold onto his rating as the top-ranked receiver in the cycle, though.
The Vols’ other five-star, offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda, was bumped from No. 19 to No. 24 in the new rankings, as well.
Other notable moves were linebacker TJ White (No. 89 to 41), athlete Joel Wyatt (No. 47 to 61), athlete Salesi Moa (No. 45 to 76), linebacker Brayden Rouse (No. 70 to 81), offensive lineman Kamari Blair (debuting in top 247 at No. 110) and edge rusher Zach Groves (debuting in top 247 at No. 206).
Tennessee’s class now sits at No. 8 in the country on 247, a four-spot drop from the No. 4 position it previously held.
