Latest news with #FaizonBrandon
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse commits to Tennessee football over Texas, Alabama
Coveted four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse committed to Tennessee football, choosing the Vols over Texas, Alabama and Michigan.. On July 8, Rouse made his announcement alongside coaches and teammates at Kell High School in Marietta, Georgia. Advertisement Rouse, a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, is among the top linebacker prospects in the country. He received scholarship offers from more than 40 FBS programs, including every SEC school except Arkansas. He is ranked the No. 5 linebacker, No. 9 recruit in Georgia and No. 86 prospect overall in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports Composite. Rouse is a versatile linebacker who thrives in pass rushing, run stopping and pass coverage. He has shown a comfort level as an edge rusher, linebacker and safety. Here are Tennessee football commitments in 2026 class Rouse is Tennessee's 10th commitment since June 27. Advertisement UT now has 19 commitments in the 2026 recruiting class, led by five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon. Defensive lineman Dereon Albert, edge rusher Zach Groves, wide receiver Tyreek King, offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda, tight end Carson Sneed and linebacker TJ White committed to the Vols. They are rated four stars by 247Sports Composite. The class also includes cornerback Zay Anderson, offensive lineman Edward Baker, athlete Legend Bey, edge rusher CJ Edwards, edge rusher Kedric Golston, safety KJ McClain, linebacker Braylon Outlaw, defensive lineman Darryl Rivers, cornerback Javonte Smith, cornerback Jamyan Theodore and safety Luke Thompson. They are rated three stars. Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at Advertisement Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Brayden Rouse: 4-star LB commits to Tennessee football over Texas, Alabama
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
4-star tackle JB Shabazz commits to Tennessee football over Ohio State, South Carolina
Four-star offensive tackle JB Shabazz committed to Tennessee football over Ohio State and South Carolina, giving the Vols a key piece in their 2026 class. On July 11, Shabazz announced his decision surrounded by family, coaches and teammates. Advertisement Shabazz is a 6-foot-6, 315-pounder from East Forsyth High in Kernersville, North Carolina. He is ranked the No. 29 offensive tackle and No. 320 prospect overall, according to 247Sports Composite. Shabazz received scholarship offers from more than 20 FBS schools, including seven in the SEC. He took official visits to South Carolina, Penn State, North Carolina State, Tennessee and Ohio State before making his decision. Here are Tennessee football commitments in 2026 class Shabazz is Tennessee's 12th commitment since June 27. UT now has 21 commitments in the 2026 recruiting class, led by five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon. Advertisement Defensive lineman Dereon Albert, edge rusher Zach Groves, wide receiver Tyreek King, offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda, tight end Carson Sneed and linebacker TJ White committed to the Vols. They are rated four stars by 247Sports Composite. The class also includes cornerback Zay Anderson, offensive lineman Edward Baker, wide receiver Legend Bey, safety Jowell Combay, edge rusher CJ Edwards, edge rusher Kedric Golston, safety KJ McClain, linebacker Braylon Outlaw, defensive lineman Darryl Rivers, athlete Javonte Smith, cornerback Jamyan Theodore and safety Luke Thompson. They are rated three stars. Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tackle JB Shabazz commits to Tennessee football over Ohio State, South Carolina
USA Today
07-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Updated look at SEC recruiting rankings after official visit season
The 2026 recruiting cycle has just over five months to go until the early signing period in December. Most classes will be finalized in the next month or two as prospects look to make their decisions prior to their senior seasons. but that doesn't mean there won't be movement. College football has faced more parity over the last few years as name, image, and likeness and the transfer portal distribute the talent across the board. Despite the changes in college football, the SEC still has some of the best recruiting schools in the country. And while the transfer portal has become a quick fix to fill holes are find significant upgrades in talent, coaches still put a heavy emphasis on high school recruiting. As things stand on July 7, here's how the SEC stacks up in team recruiting rankings, taking an average of their standing according to 247Sports, Rivals, and On3. 1. Georgia Bulldogs Total Commitments: 27 Top Rated Player: Jared Curtis, 5-Star Quarterback Kirby Smart may not want to play the name, image, and likeness game that's run rampant through college recruiting, but that hasn't slowed down the top coach in college football. He's on track for another top five class after the Bulldogs SEC title win in 2024. 2. Texas A&M Aggies Total Commitments: 24 Top Rated Player: Tristian Givens, 5-Star ATH Recruiting has rarely been the problem for the Texas A&M Aggies but Mike Elko is having a great 2026 cycle. Of the 24 players pledged to the Aggies, 20 of them are blue-chip prospects, the most in the SEC. 3. Alabama Crimson Tide Total Commitments: 19 Top Rated Player: Xavier Griffin, 5-Star EDGE Kalen DeBoer is off to a fantastic July, picking up a pair of five-star commitments after earning a pledge from their highest-rated player in the class on June 29, edge Xavier Griffin. Any recruiting concerns in the post-Nick Saban era should be put to bed as DeBoer has the most five-stars committed in the conference. 4. LSU Tigers Total Commitments: 14 Top Rated Player: Tristen Keys, 5-Star Wide Receiver Brian Kelly has a top 10 recruiting class right now, headlined by a five-star commitment on both sides of the ball. If the Tigers have the season that many think possible, they could be in line for a great fall on the recruiting trail as well. 5. Texas Longhorns Total Commitments: 17 Top Rated Player: Dia Bell, 5-Star Quarterback Texas may have missed out on five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo, but the pivot to John Turntine might work out better in the long run. 6. Tennessee Volunteers Total Commitments: 17 Top Rated Player: Faizon Brandon, 5-Star Quarterback The Nico Iamaleava drama from the spring may have been a setback for this season but it hasn't put a damper on Tennessee's recruiting efforts in the 2026 class. With five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon and five-star offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda leading the way, the Volunteers are on pace for another strong recruiting class. 7. Florida Gators Total Commitments: 15 Top Rated Player: C.J. Bronaugh, 4-Star Cornerback The end of the season run for Billy Napier and the Gators has helped Florida to be in a good spot at this point in the recruiting cycle. Florida has a chance to make even more noise this year against one of the tougher schedules in college football. 8. Arkansas Razorbacks Total Commitments: 26 Top Rated Player: Bryce Gilmore, 4-Star Offensive Tackle This may be the last hurrah for Sam Pittman as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks but he's got a huge class coming to Fayetteville in 2026 headlined by a trio of blue-chip prospects. 9 (tied). Oklahoma Sooners Total Commitments: 14 Top Rated Player: Bowe Bentley, 4-Star Quarterback The Oklahoma Sooners have several big-time prospects they're hoping to land over the next couple of months in four-star prospects Jake Kreul, Davian Groce, and Jordan Clay. Oklahoma is also in a favorable position for three-star talents like Tyler Ruxer and Braxton Lindsey. 9 (tied). Ole Miss Rebels Total Commitments: 12 Top Rated Player: Damarius Yates, 4-Star Running Back Ole Miss had a good year and was a play away from the College Football Playoff but Lane Kiffin hasn't turned that into success on the recruiting trail yet. 11. Mississippi State Bulldogs Total Commitments: 25 Top Rated Player: Jaiden Taylor, 3-Star Athlete Jeff Lebby and the Mississippi State Bulldogs are going for quantity as they look to find some diamonds in their class that can help elevate a program that's become arguably the worst in the SEC. There were some positive signs in the second half of last season. If he can build on that the Bulldogs may not be long for the basement. 12. South Carolina Gamecocks Total Commitments: 10 Top Rated Player: J'Zavien Currence, 4-Star Cornerback It may be a small class for South Carolina and head coach Shane Beamer but they have a 70% blue-chip ratio at this point. If Beamer can put together another strong class, he'll have the Gamecocks as contenders for a long time. 13. Vanderbilt Commodores Total Commitments: 16 Top Rated Player: Keeyshawn Tabuteau, Jr, 3-Star Wide Receiver Clark Lea found success on the field in 2024 and has found some success in recruiting as well. Last year, they brought it just 13 players in the 2025 recruiting class. Lea's already put together a bigger class for 2026 with five months until the early signing period. 14. Kentucky Wildcats Total Commitments: 14 Top Rated Player: Messiah Tilson, 4-star Safety Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats earned a big win, pulling Dallas Dickerson from Oklahoma and flipping Denairius Gray from Auburn. 15. Missouri Tigers Total Commitments: 10 Top Rated Player: Keenan Harris, Jr., 3-star linebacker Eli Drinkwitz has done a nice job in the transfer portal and earned some big wins on the recruiting trail, but Missouri isn't reaping the rewards of another 10-win season on the recruiting trail. 16. Auburn Tigers Total Commitments: 7 Top Rated Player: Hezekiah Harris, 4-Star Defensive End Back in March, Auburn had a top-five class in the SEC team rankings. They've gone through a rough patch, losing players to other SEC squads in the process. Hugh Freeze is in a critical year for the Tigers. 2026 SEC Team Recruiting Rankings *As of July 7, 2025 Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nation's No. 1 QB Sends Message To Latest Tennessee Commit
Nation's No. 1 QB Sends Message To Latest Tennessee Commit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Although there aren't any college football games for another couple of months, summer is a huge time for recruiting. Advertisement Coaches across the country are vying for significant commitments that can potentially shift the trajectory of their program or attract even more marquee recruits to follow suit. One program that is looking to climb up the rankings are the Tennessee Volunteers. As revealed via social media, the Vols landed a commitment from three-star wide receiver Zaydyn Anderson. The Greenville, Tennessee, product chose to play for Josh Heupel and the Vols over programs such as Cincinnati, Toledo and Memphis, among others. While Anderson isn't the most highly touted recruit, his commitment received the stamp of approval from Tennessee's top recruit and five-star quarterback, Faizon Brandon. The No. 1 player in the nation took to X to welcome his new classmate, and express his excitement about him joining the Tennessee brotherhood. Advertisement "Yessir welcome home‼️#GBO," wrote Brandon. Football coach Josh Heupel and Tennessee Volunteers land commitment from three-star wide receiver Zaydyn Anderson.© Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images With the addition of Anderson, the Volunteers currently have 13 commitments in their 2026 class. Per 247Sports' recruiting rankings, their class currently ranks as the No. 22 class as we head into what will be an action-packed next couple of weeks on the recruiting trail. While the class is currently ranked inside the top 25, the average caliber of recruit in the class ranks comes in as the 13th highest, meaning quality-wise, they are already among the best in the country. If Brandon continues to be active on the recruiting trail and lures more players to Knoxville, the Vols could end up with a stellar class when things are all said and done. Related: Arch Manning Says he Can Take Shots at the Bar if he Wants This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
20-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Elite 11 takeaways: Bruce Feldman on Texas-bound Dia Bell, rising star Keisean Henderson and more
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — I've been coming to the Elite 11 quarterback competition for 20-plus years. The 2025 group was one of the better crops I've seen. The most highly touted guys were every bit as good as they were hyped to be. That's often not the case. 'I think this year's group was as competitive, one through 20, as we've had in a long time, and the fight for who made the 11 was tougher than ever,' Elite 11 president Brian Stumpf said, 'just because so many guys had really strong moments or showings in certain components of the event versus typically one to five guys dominate most everything. I think it speaks to the depth of the class and some guys who have really emerged over the past three to four months to join some of the earlier established big names in the class.' Advertisement Two QBs came in ranked in 247Sports' top three overall prospects in the 2026 class — No. 1 Faizon Brandon and No. 3 Keisean Henderson. Those two, along with Dia Bell (No. 24 overall) and Landon Duckworth (No. 50), were especially impressive at the three-day event. Bell took home the camp's MVP honors. Bell, the son of former NBA player Raja Bell, is very accurate and polished. The word that kept coming to mind while watching him each day was smooth. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder is just really smooth. The Texas commit also has a presence about him that stood out with how he interacted with the other players. The Elite 11 coaches raved about his performance in Thursday's 7-on-7 competition. 'What he did today in the 7-on-7 was beautiful,' said former Packers quarterback Craig Nall, one of the camp's coaches. 'It's his command, and it's the little things. On one ball, the receiver was supposed to be off, and (Bell) adjusted. He's never frantic. He's always in control. Doesn't get too high. Doesn't get too low.' A few other QBs had 'awesome days' in Wednesday's accuracy and 'pro day' competitions and were slotted above Bell in the second day's rankings. 'It was cool to see how he responded,' coach Justin Hoover said. 'Like he noticed we moved him down a bit, and went, 'Watch this.' That was super impressive.' The 6-3, 185-pound Henderson, a Spring, Texas, native who is committed to Houston, was the guy numerous Elite 11 coaches told me they thought had the highest ceiling. 'It's like he has just one more gear in terms of arm and sped-up athleticism than Bell,' one of the coaches said Thursday after the event. 'And I think Bell's awesome too.' Henderson is an enormous get for the Cougars and coach Willie Fritz, and he figures to be someone other schools will keep pursuing — though he recently announced he is shutting down his recruitment. 'Sometimes you see a throw from a kid and you think 'Wow!' But it isn't often that same kid is able to replicate that 'wow' type of throw that less than 1 percent of humans can make,' former Michigan QB Devin Gardner said. 'For Henderson, he was able to replicate it over and over again, over a three-day period. He's special, and as long as he stays the course and continues to develop mentally, physically and emotionally, I believe he has a chance at being a household name some day soon.' Advertisement Henderson has elite arm talent and athleticism, but it was his personality that folks at the event kept gushing about. One of the coaches who has worked the Elite 11 for almost a decade said that five-star QBs can often have an air about them that can be off-putting. But Henderson wasn't like that at all. Zero entitlement. Just full of life and full of joy. He still needs to hone his passing skills, one of the coaches pointed out, saying once he refines his ability to get some throws up and down — a bucket throw — more consistently, he'll be even more impressive. 'He's a really, really good quarterback, but he's an even better human,' Hoover said. 'I can't wait to watch him continue to grow and develop because he is so talented. He just has 'it.' People gravitate towards him. I'd want him in my locker room, I know that. He was the most talented kid there. His ceiling is so high, and his floor also is high, so with that comes high expectations.' Nall said Henderson is one of the most impressive high school quarterbacks he's ever seen. 'This is my 13th season coaching the Elite 11, and I'd put him in the top 10 percent of all our QBs in arm talent,' he said. 'We've had some super special guys, like Trevor Lawrence and Tua (Tagovailoa), but he's in that discussion. Wherever he lands, they're getting a special kid. 'He's super athletic. He's very gifted. He's constantly smiling. He made me feel special as a coach by the way he'd thank you and look you in the eye. He has this sense of gratitude about how glad he was to be here, and then he went out and did his thing.' Brandon, a Tennessee commit from North Carolina, was one of the youngest QBs at the event, having just turned 17 earlier this month. He won the event's Rail Shot competition on the first night. I thought he stepped up when the lights were brightest, especially on Day 1 and then again on Day 3. 'Tennessee hit a home run,' said George Whitfield, one of the Elite 11's most senior coaches. 'He has a big arm. Good lower body. You can tell he worked on his feet, hits his drops, no false steps. You can tell he's figured some stuff out. He should be fun to watch.' RAIL SHOT 🎥🎯 — Elite11 (@Elite11) June 18, 2025 Duckworth, a 6-3, 195-pound three-sport athlete from Alabama who has won state titles as a basketball player and as a sprinter on a 4×100 relay team, is the subject of a big Auburn-South Carolina recruiting battle. The Elite 11 coaches really buzzed about his potential, a guy with a great frame and a big arm who is really fast. He's still pretty raw, but coaches said it's more inexperience than immaturity. One coach told me that he probably needs two years of seasoning, and with that, 'he could be special. But who's that patient and can develop him?' Advertisement • The most pleasant surprise to me was Ohio's Matt Ponatoski, ranked as the No. 29 QB by 247Sports. The two-sport star has an electric arm, having been clocked at 97 mph as a pitcher. That arm wowed me Thursday morning in his 7-on-7 performance. The 6-1, 196-pounder, who is uncommitted, made two 'wow' throws to receivers who didn't look open at all, but he fired the ball into the only spot he could and completed the passes. It was impressive. 'He had a couple of those every day we were here,' Hoover said. 'He's got some confidence to put it in places that others wouldn't even attempt to throw. He really stood out.' I was told Ponatoski was looking at taking a visit to Oregon this weekend. • Bryson Beaver, a three-star recruit from Southern California (No. 54 QB in the class), turned a lot of heads as well this week. The 6-2, 200-pounder, who recently decommitted from Boise State, is getting a lot of interest from some Power 4 powers, including Oregon. It wasn't hard to see why. He has an excellent arm and good feet. 'I loved him,' Whitfield said. 'Him and Henderson (are) guys you want to go coach because of their personality and charisma and how guys want to follow them.' • Texan Bowe Bentley is another hot prospect who colleges are scrambling to land. He's about the same size as Beaver, but more highly ranked, at No. 78 overall and the No. 7 QB. LSU and Oklahoma are both after him. I thought he was one of the most impressive guys I watched Wednesday. He's got a lot of juice in his arm and exudes confidence in it. He's a guy I could see putting up big numbers in major college football. 'I was high on his tape coming in,' Nall said. 'I could tell the competitive temperament that he has. I think the sky is the limit for that kid.' • Clemson commit Tait Reynolds came into the event as a three-star prospect, ranked the No. 26 QB by 247Sports. Expect him to jump up the rankings. The 6-2, 220-pounder from Arizona is intriguing. He's got this big, muscled-up frame and looks like a guy who really knows his way around a squat rack, but he threw and moved much more fluidly than most of the coaches expected. Advertisement • Jeff Brohm has long proven to be one of the brightest minds in football, and it seems like he's ahead of the curve when it comes to Louisville commit Briggs Cherry. He came into the event ranked No. 84 on 247Sports' QB board. I suspect the 6-4, 210-pounder from Tennessee will soar up a few dozen spots after this week. His accuracy was really impressive Wednesday and Thursday. 'He absolutely shredded it in 7-on-7,' Nall said. 'It was absolutely one of the best performances in this format that I've ever seen. He didn't miss a throw.' • Jett Thomalla, who made news at the start of the week when he flipped from Iowa State to Alabama, also really impressed me. The 6-4, 210-pound four-star from Nebraska is a really good basketball player who's thrown down some eye-catching dunks. That athleticism shows up on the field. He's a big, rangy kid who was firing the ball downfield effortlessly and also displayed some deft touch, floating the ball in on big bucket throws. In addition, he displayed a good demeanor. • Helaman Casuga, a 6-1, 220-pound four-star committed to Texas A&M, was one of the most accurate QBs at the event. The coaches said he loves Tagovailoa, and you do see some of that in him. • USC commit Jonas Williams finished the week with a flurry. He made one spectacular deep throw on a corner route that beat double coverage for a touchdown, one of seven TD passes he threw in the 7-on-7 competition. The 6-1, 215-pound four-star from Illinois definitely improved his stock. (Photo of Keisean Henderson courtesy of Elite 11)
