University of Tennessee Athletics
Faizon Brandon Tabbed To Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Hot 37 Watch List
August 26, 2026 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – The Maxwell Football Club announced Wednesday that Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon was named to the preseason watch list for the ninth annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, presented annually to the outstanding freshman player in college football.
Brandon is one of 37 FBS players selected to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award watch list. Fourteen semifinalists will be announced Wednesday, Nov. 4, before five finalists are unveiled on Saturday, Dec. 2. The winner will be revealed Monday, Dec. 28, and the award will be formally presented at the 90th Maxwell Awards ceremony on March 13, 2027, in Atlanta.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel announced Monday that Brandon will enter the 2026 season as the Vols' starting quarterback.
He enrolled at Tennessee in January 2026, participated in spring practice and made significant gains in strength and speed during the Vols' offseason program before ultimately claiming the starting job during preseason camp.
A consensus top-five quarterback and five-star prospect by 247Sports and ESPN, Brandon was ranked No. 2 nationally by 247Sports and No. 9 by ESPN. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native was also ranked as the nation's No. 4 overall recruit by Rivals and was the top-ranked prospect in North Carolina by 247Sports and ESPN.
Before arriving on Rocky Top, Brandon enjoyed a decorated prep career at Grimsley High School, where he compiled a 35-1 record as a starter and led the program to back-to-back state championships. For his career, he completed more than 72 percent of his passes for 6,374 yards and 79 touchdowns while rushing for 1,261 yards and 21 scores.
As a senior, Brandon completed 66 of 101 passes for 1,116 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception while adding 233 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He previously guided Grimsley to a perfect 16-0 record and the 2024 Class 4A state championship as a junior, throwing for 2,814 yards and 35 touchdowns with just two interceptions while completing 77.1 percent of his passes.
Brandon was selected as the 2024 Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year in North Carolina and was a 2026 Navy All-American. He also shined at the 2025 Elite 11 Finals in California and was selected as an Academic All-American in May 2025.
Dodd Trophy Watch List
RB DeSean Bishop
Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media, Phil Steele)
ESPN Top 100 Players List (No. 70)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LS Bennett Brady
Mannelly Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
QB Faizon Brandon
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Watch List
On3 True Freshman All-America Team
LB Amare Campbell
Bednarik Award Watch List
Butkus Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LB Arion Carter
Butkus Award Watch List
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media, Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
TE Ethan Davis
John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Xavier Gilliam
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
OL Donovan Haslam
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Daevin Hobbs
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
DB Kayin Lee
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
WR Mike Matthews
Biletnikoff Award Watch List
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB TJ Metcalf
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Wendell Moe Jr.
Lombardi Award Watch List
Outland Trophy Watch List
Walter Camp All-America Second Team
On3 All-America Third Team
Athlon All-America Third Team
All-SEC First Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB Qua Moss
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Jesse Perry
All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
PK Cooper Ranvier
Lou Groza Award Watch List
DB Ty Redmond
Bednarik Award Watch List
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Athlon All-America Fourth Team
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
P Jackson Ross
Ray Guy Award Watch List
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL David Sanders Jr.
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media)
LB Edwin Spillman
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
AFCA Allstate Good Works Team Nominee
WR Braylon Staley
Biletnikoff Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
LB Jeremiah Telander
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Shamurad Umarov
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
Brandon is one of 37 FBS players selected to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award watch list. Fourteen semifinalists will be announced Wednesday, Nov. 4, before five finalists are unveiled on Saturday, Dec. 2. The winner will be revealed Monday, Dec. 28, and the award will be formally presented at the 90th Maxwell Awards ceremony on March 13, 2027, in Atlanta.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel announced Monday that Brandon will enter the 2026 season as the Vols' starting quarterback.
He enrolled at Tennessee in January 2026, participated in spring practice and made significant gains in strength and speed during the Vols' offseason program before ultimately claiming the starting job during preseason camp.
A consensus top-five quarterback and five-star prospect by 247Sports and ESPN, Brandon was ranked No. 2 nationally by 247Sports and No. 9 by ESPN. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native was also ranked as the nation's No. 4 overall recruit by Rivals and was the top-ranked prospect in North Carolina by 247Sports and ESPN.
Before arriving on Rocky Top, Brandon enjoyed a decorated prep career at Grimsley High School, where he compiled a 35-1 record as a starter and led the program to back-to-back state championships. For his career, he completed more than 72 percent of his passes for 6,374 yards and 79 touchdowns while rushing for 1,261 yards and 21 scores.
As a senior, Brandon completed 66 of 101 passes for 1,116 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception while adding 233 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He previously guided Grimsley to a perfect 16-0 record and the 2024 Class 4A state championship as a junior, throwing for 2,814 yards and 35 touchdowns with just two interceptions while completing 77.1 percent of his passes.
Brandon was selected as the 2024 Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year in North Carolina and was a 2026 Navy All-American. He also shined at the 2025 Elite 11 Finals in California and was selected as an Academic All-American in May 2025.
Tennessee Football — 2026 Preseason Honors
Head Coach Josh HeupelDodd Trophy Watch List
RB DeSean Bishop
Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media, Phil Steele)
ESPN Top 100 Players List (No. 70)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LS Bennett Brady
Mannelly Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
QB Faizon Brandon
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Watch List
On3 True Freshman All-America Team
LB Amare Campbell
Bednarik Award Watch List
Butkus Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LB Arion Carter
Butkus Award Watch List
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media, Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
TE Ethan Davis
John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Xavier Gilliam
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
OL Donovan Haslam
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Daevin Hobbs
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
DB Kayin Lee
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
WR Mike Matthews
Biletnikoff Award Watch List
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB TJ Metcalf
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Wendell Moe Jr.
Lombardi Award Watch List
Outland Trophy Watch List
Walter Camp All-America Second Team
On3 All-America Third Team
Athlon All-America Third Team
All-SEC First Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB Qua Moss
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Jesse Perry
All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
PK Cooper Ranvier
Lou Groza Award Watch List
DB Ty Redmond
Bednarik Award Watch List
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Athlon All-America Fourth Team
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
P Jackson Ross
Ray Guy Award Watch List
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL David Sanders Jr.
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches, Media)
LB Edwin Spillman
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
AFCA Allstate Good Works Team Nominee
WR Braylon Staley
Biletnikoff Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
LB Jeremiah Telander
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Shamurad Umarov
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
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