The wait is finally over. Spring practice has arrived in Knoxville, and the Tennessee Vols are back on the field getting to work as they begin the long process of preparing for the upcoming season. Many Vols fans are excited to dive into position battles, but the main thing everyone wants to see is the freshmen and which new player stands out.
With that said, freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon was selected as the 2024 Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year in North Carolina and as a 2026 Navy All-American. The five-star freshman was Tennessee's top recruit in the 2026 class, and we finally saw him step onto the practice field for the first time as a Vol today, giving fans their first glimpse of the highly anticipated quarterback in a college setting. Josh Heupel made Brandon a priority for years, and now we finally get to see how he stacks up compared to the other quarterbacks on the roster.
A first look at Vols QB Faizon Brandon! pic.twitter.com/WqjqNbItjY
— Paige Dauer (@PaigeDauerFDP) March 16, 2026
Faizon Brandon looks the part
The first thing that really pops about Brandon is the size he brings. He is listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, and he has plenty of room to grow as he is just an 18-year-old. Would it be bold to say he could grow another inch and add another 20, 30 pounds over the course of his college career? He already looks bigger than George MacIntyre, who has always been known as a skinnier guy, but has been hitting the weight room hard.
Digging deeper, Brandon looks to have a really quick release and looks comfortable with his footwork. Young quarterbacks typically have happy feet, so if Brandon can learn to stand firm in the pocket, it will help him immediately. He has high expectations and could potentially start from day one in Knoxville.
Josh Heupel has a battle on his hands
The biggest position battle by far for the Vols is the quarterback battle between Faizon Brandon, George MacIntyre, and Ryan Staub. Each quarterback has a unique skill set that they bring to the table, and it should be a battle that goes down to the wire all offseason.