Film Analysis: Faizon Brandon Catching Tennessee's Eye Early

2026 four-star quarterback Faizon Brandon (Greensboro, N.C.) is a name that the Tennessee Volunteers have been around a lot early in his recruitment.

Grimsley High School quarterback Faizon Brandon made his fourth trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, over the weekend for their junior day. The North Carolina native amassed 45 touchdowns during his sophomore season and lists offers from Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and more.

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has made a strong impression on the talented gunslinger so far, as has the rest of the Vols' offensive staff. The interest between both parties seems mutual - as Heupel has proven, he wants to land elite quarterbacks, and he's willing to put in a lot of work to identify who they are early so that he can invest a lot of time in them over their four-year high school careers.

Brandon ranks as the No. 74 prospect in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports' Rankings. He's the No. 6 quarterback in his class, and I went to the tape to break down why the Vols have taken such an early interest in him.

4⭐️ QB Faizon Brandon visited the #Vols again this weekend. The rising junior has built a strong relationship with the staff.

Amassed 45 touchdowns as a sophomore against North Carolina competition. An early national name. 🧵

➕ Arm strength
➕ Pocket presence
➕ Anticipation pic.twitter.com/X7qYJPeGEO

— Evan Crowell (@evanvcrowell) February 5, 2024

Arm Strength

Tennessee has a lot of big arms in its quarterback room. There's a reason for that - Heupel and his staff want to push the ball vertically, and with their wide receivers lined up outside the numbers, the quarterback must be able to rip it. Brandon plays in a pace-and-space offense that lets him make those cross-hash, "big-boy" throws. He can place the ball down the sideline and away from defenders and has strong control of the arc of his football. While Brandon doesn't frequently rip it into windows, he certainly can and will if the opportunity presents itself.

Pocket Presence

The pocket is an art, something you never truly master. NFL quarterbacks spend their offseasons perfecting the pocket, and there are different levels to learning it. While it's a long-term project for every quarterback, Brandon has built a strong foundation through his first two high school seasons. Every move is purposeful - even when he quickens his dropback to account for red zone pressure, the footwork aligns, and he hits each checkpoint in his release the same. Brandon's not afraid to take a hit and not let the impact deter his throw. 

Anticipation

Tennessee's offense is timing, timing, timing, and just when you think there can't be more, it's timing again. If you can't throw the football with anticipation, you can't become a successful quarterback in this offense. Brandon built a strong rapport with each of his pass catchers at Grimsley High School this season, showcasing an ability to put a football in the right spot before his target made their break. That says a lot - when a young quarterback can take a mental defense of a defense in presnap, see them adjust after the snap, get a picture of how they are going to move, and find the right window to put the football into, it's a very promising sign. 

2026 4-star QB Faizon Brandon during an unofficial visit to Tennessee. (Photo courtesy of Faizon Brandon)

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