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How new Tennessee QB Faizon Brandon is already giving back to Knoxville
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- How new Tennessee QB Faizon Brandon is already giving back to Knoxville
Tennessee football signee Faizon Brandon can pass more than just a football.
The five-star quarterback was already giving back to the Knoxville community when Brandon and his parents handed out toys to patients at East Tennessee Children's Hospital on Dec. 19.
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"It's been great, just being able to see that we put a smile on their face," Brandon told Knox News. "They could be going through hard times or something like that, but I think it's been great to put a small smile on their face."
He posted on X that 900 gifts were donated to East Tennessee Children's Hospital from a toy drive he announced on Dec. 5.
"My family, ever since I've been little, every time you had an opportunity to help somebody, they always tell me to go help them," Brandon said in the video.
Brandon, who is from Greensboro, North Carolina , signed with Tennessee as the gem of coach Josh Heupel's top-10 recruiting class on Dec. 3. He is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in North Carolina and the No. 3 quarterback in the 2026 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.
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On Dec. 12, Brandon led Grimsley to a Class 7A state championship for the second straight year. He was named the 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina and finished his high school career with a 35-1 record.
The 6-foot-4, 206-pound Brandon will enroll at Tennessee in January and participate in spring practice. During his visit to East Tennessee Children's Hospital, he said he's looking forward to beginning his college career in Knoxville.
"Everybody that I ran into, it just seems like they're very genuine," Brandon said. "Knoxville gives a very, I would say family feel. Everybody welcomes you here, and I'll say it seems like they have the best intentions for you."
And its amplified by Brandon's connection with Tennessee's coaching staff.
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"I've met with almost all the coaches, and I would say that's really the reason why I committed here," Brandon said. "I have a great relationship with almost every single one of them. I'll say it's kind of hard to get that anywhere else."
Kamryn Jackson covers high school and college sports for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Greenville News and Anderson Independent Mail, and the USA TODAY Network. Please email her at KEJackson@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @KamxJack
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football QB Faizon Brandon already giving back to Knoxville
