by Riley Haltom
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Volunteers are starting their 2026 recruiting class with a bang. The five-star quarterback announced on Saturday that he has committed to Tennessee giving the Vols an early commitment from 247Sports’ No. 1 overall player and On3’s No. 10 overall player in the 2026 class. Brandon chose the Vols over Alabama, NC State, and LSU.
The Greensboro, NC native has made several visits to Rocky Top over the past year, starting with a camp in June 2023 where he earned an offer from Josh Heupel’s staff. The early interest from the Vols led Brandon to commit to the Vols before starting his junior season of high school football.
Brandon is the latest in a QB recruiting hot streak for the Heupel staff, starting with projected 2024 starter and five-star recruit Nico Iamaleava in 2023, four-star Jake Merklinger in 2024, and four-star George MacIntyre in 2025.
Heupel’s success with quarterbacks on the field has helped with recruiting them. Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton are both Heupel QBs that have gone on to be drafted to the NFL.