2026 recruiting: Faizon Brandon commitment proves the Vols are here to stay

The rich get richer. The Tennessee Volunteers football room added yet another 5-star recruit to the mix as Faizon Brandon, the No. 1 overall prospect and quarterback for the 2026 recruiting class is coming to Knoxville.

This is the second top QB commit signed by head coach Josh Heupel and company in just three years. The current starter, Nico Iamaleava, was also a 5-star and rated the best at the position in 2022.

Brandon, who is a Grimsley High School Junior, is tabbed as a dual threat and led the nation in many key statistical categories (completion percentage, yards per attempt, and turnover rate) according to 247sports.com. Brandon completed 191 of 277 passes (69%) for 3,026 yards with 36 TDs and 3 INTs. The young athlete also ran for 528 yards and 9 TDs while averaging 6.2 YPC.

If there’s ever been a perfect fit for Heupel’s offense, Brandon should be just that. Brandon’s completion percentage paired with yards per attempt is quite an eye-popping feat, considering downfield passing is generally a lower percentage.

Brandon is also a very talented basketball player who averaged 10.7 ppg along with 7.1 rebounds per game. 

The first commitment in 2026 being a 5-star quarterback bodes well for the remainder of the class, and hopefully for the Vols, he’s an ambassador for Tennessee and leads the charge to another impressive class. When you secure the top prize in a class, that can only mean good things for the future. Top pass-catchers in 2026 will undoubtedly see Brandon’s commitment and start contemplating Tennessee if they haven’t already.

One thing is for certain: the Tennessee Volunteers are not going anywhere on the recruiting trail. Josh Heupel has built a machine and has no trouble getting kids excited to come to Knoxville.