No. 1 recruit in 2026 class breaks down top schools

Fizon Brandon, a five-star quarterback recruit from Greensboro, N.C., still has to play his junior and senior seasons of high school ball. He’s already so talented, though, that he’s ranked up well over 20 offers to play big-time college football.

He’s also already ready to make a decision. This, even though he’s still so early in the process.

Credit to Brandon, though, because he knows what he’s looking for in the four schools that top his list: Alabama, LSU, NC State and Tennessee.

“These schools are at the top because of the way they’re recruiting me and how they show me a lot of love,” Brandon told On3. “They have shown me that they can develop quarterbacks and that has been a thing that has caught my eye about all four of these schools. All the quarterbacks they’ve sent to the league are impressive. That’s definitely something I’m looking for in a school and these schools have that.”

Brandon has taken visits to LSU, NC State and Tennessee over the past month. He’s visited each of these schools, but understandably, he’s seen the Wolfpack the most with Raleigh being less than a two-hour drive away from his high school.

“Since their campus is so close to my parents, I know that they love how close it is. They’d be able to make it to every game without getting a hotel. That’s definitely a main reason why I like NC State,” Brandon said.

That’s a big plus for Brandon and his family, but location ultimately isn’t going to matter when he makes a decision.

“It will be about the people, where I can be developed and the support around you when things aren’t going well,” the 5-star explained. “No matter if a school is far from home or close to home, I want them to make it feel like family. Also, I want to know that I have guys around me other than quarterbacks. I want a school to have a good o-line, a good wide receiver corps and good tight ends. Those are some main things that will play a big role in my decision.”

Brandon is ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports. 

He plans to make his commitment on August 3.