GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Faizon Brandon will be a Volunteer.
On Saturday, the Grimsley junior announced his commitment to the University of Tennessee, passing on chances at the University of Alabama, Louisiana State University and North Carolina State University.
247Sports ranked the high school junior as the No. 1 overall football player in the Class of 2026.
Standing at 6-feet-4 inches tall and weighing 197 pounds, Brandon put himself on the map with a dominant sophomore season.
Brandon threw for 3,026 yards in 14 games during his first season as the full-time starter for the Whirlies, according to MaxPreps. He completed 69% of his passes for 3,026 yards, 36 touchdowns, only three interceptions and a 140.1 QB rating.
Andrew Ivins, 247Sports Director of Scouting, wrote the following scouting report about Brandon.
“Ascending signal caller that possesses a rare blend of pocket-passer size and dual-threat athleticism to go along with a high-powered arm.”
“Had as good of a sophomore season as any of the 2026 quarterbacks, ranking first in a number of key statistical categories (completion percentage, yards per attempt and turnover rate).”
“Rhythmic as a passer, getting the ball out fast and to his playmakers. Likes to stay on schedule with his clean footwork and shows poise in the face of pressure.”
“Accurate to the numbers, and has found plenty of success attacking the intermediate level, but deep ball placement can be a bit uneven.”
“Effective on designed runs with his acceleration and his natural twitch in both the upper and lower halves is ideal for run-pass options.”
“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.”
Brandon also was a dynamic weapon for the Whirlies with his legs. He ran for 528 yards and nine touchdowns on 6.2 yards per carry.
Brandon made explosive plays with his arm all season as well, averaging more than 15.8 yards per passing attempt.
The combination of Brandon’s arm talent plus explosive wideouts like Terrell Anderson and Alex Taylor helped lead Grimsley to a 13-1 record and run to the fourth round of the state playoffs.
For now, Brandon is preparing for his junior season and hopes to lead the Whirlies to the state title this year.
He told 247Sports that he’s looking to improve both as a player and as a leader heading into
