By THEO COLLI

In week one of high school football in North Carolina against West Charlotte, the No. 1-ranked recruit according to 247sports, Faizon Brandon put together an impressive senior debut before injuring his hand on the final play of overtime after leading his team to a 28-27 win.

Now the top-ranked quarterback is finally cleared to return for the team’s playoff run that begins this Friday. 

QB Faizon Brandon

On Aug. 3, 2024, Brandon committed to the University of Tennessee and has since then visited the campus five different occasions. While other schools, such as hometown teams like NC State and North Carolina, or other big dogs from the SEC like LSU and Alabama.

Last season, Brandon cemented himself as one of the premier talents in high school football with an electric junior season that included a 77% completion rate, 35 touchdowns to just two interceptions, and 2,814 yards over 16 games, leading his school to a state championship with an undefeated record.

While his yard total never eclipsed more than 258 yards, his efficiency and timely decision-making cemented him as one of the more seasoned recruits in football.

He finished with 625 yards on the ground, his highest game total reached 108 yards over just two attempts. Brandon has been more than capable of the big play with his arm or his legs.

Now in 2025, after just one game where he completed 11-15 of his passes with 155 passing yards and 62 rushing, Brandon was sidelined for the rest of the regular season.

He returns as Grimsley High School searches to defend its 7A state title; now, they have reinforcements arriving.

WR Tristan Keys

Another player who dealt with injuries in his senior season, Tristan Keys, has been on and off the field, but over his last two games, he has compiled, without question, his best numbers of the season.

On Halloween night against West Jones High School, Keys posted 146 yards on five catches, along with a touchdown. That is now four consecutive games for Keys with a score; his longest reception of the night was a 50-yard grab.

Over his four showings this season, Keys' totals move to 346 yards with 17 receptions and four touchdowns. He’s averaging 20.4 yards per each catch.

Ath Salesi Moa 

Moa, a senior out of Ogden, Utah, has been effective on both sides of the ball and displayed more of that ability on Halloween night against Alta High School.

Moa, on the offensive side of the ball, where he is expected to get reps in college, finished the day with 139 yards on five receptions with two touchdowns. His longest play of the night was an 80-yard reception.

Now on the other side of the ball, Moa plays in the secondary, where he tallied an interception, along with six total tackles against Alta.

The pick was Moa’s third interception of the season. Moa’s hands prove to be a valuable part of whichever team he ends on; he finished his regular season with 1198 total yards over his ten games in the regular season.

Playoffs begin for these players and more this upcoming weekend.