Top 10 2026 commitments (so far): Tennessee has top recruit; Oregon has 4 of nation's best

Andrew Nemec | Feb 10, 2025

Zion Elee dressed out and ready for a high school bowl game / Zion Elee Instagram

It's early in the 2026 recruiting cycle, but there are already some key trends developing among the nation's best recruits.

10 of the country's top 41 prospects have chosen their future homes.

Here's a look at where they're headed:

1. 5-star QB Faizon Brandon (No. 1 overall; No. 1 quarterback)

Class of 2026 5-star quarterback Faizon Brandon /

Tennessee scored a massive and early victory in the 2026 cycle when it landed Grimsley (North Carolina) star Faizon Brandon.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound signal-caller chose the Volunteers over offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State and others.

As a junior, Brandon threw for 2,814 yards with 35 touchdowns and just two interceptions, adding 625 yards and nine scores on the ground.

He is, unquestionably, the cornerstone of Tennessee's upcoming class.

2. 5-star EDGE Zion Elee (No. 2 overall; No. 1 edge-rusher)

Zion Elee dressed out and ready for a high school bowl game / Zion Elee Instagram

St. Frances Academy (Maryland) star Zion Elee hasn't even played a down of college football yet, but he's already eclipsed a legend.

Stefon Diggs.

Diggs, the nation's No. 10 overall prospect in the class of 2012, was the highest-rated Maryland pledge in program history.

That is, until Elee announced his decision in early December.

Elee, the nation's No. 2 overall prospect, is the nation's premier edge-rusher chose Maryland over nearly 40 other offers, highlighted by Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas and others.

3. 5-star LB Xavier Griffin (No. 8 overall; No. 1 linebacker)

Xavier Griffin / Xavier Griffin

Gainesville (Georgia) five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin is the latest five-star Georgia prospect to verbally commit to the Trojans,

So far, however, signing them and getting them on campus has been another story for Lincoln Riley.

In the 2025 recruiting cycle, USC secured verbal commitments from three five-star talents from Georgia -edge-rusher Isaiah Gibson (Georgia), defensive lineman Justus Terry (Texas) and quarterback Julian Lewis (Colorado).

All three ended up going elsewhere.

If USC can stop that trend, Griffin represents a massive "get" and a potential program-altering talent.

Hanging on, however, could be tricky.

It's one of the most intriguing early commitments to watch in the 2026 cycle.

4. 5-star WR Chris Henry Jr. (No. 13 overall; No. 3 wide receiver)

Chris Henry Jr. / Courtesy of Chris Henry Jr.

Ohio State is known for producing elite wide receivers, and that trend is only going to continue to sensational freshman Jeremiah Smith.

Next up? Perhaps it's Mater Dei pass-catcher Chris Henry Jr.

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound playmaker is rated as highly as the nation's No. 1 overall prospect by ESPN, so there's little doubt about his immense potential.

Henry has visited Oregon on several ocassions and the Ducks aren't giving up, but it may be hard to pull away the five-star talent from Brian Hartline and the Buckeyes.

5. 5-star QB Keisean Henderson (No. 15 overall; No. 1 athlete)

Navy All-Americans Tyler Atkinson, Trey McNutt, Winston Watkins Jr. and Keisean Henderson / Courtesy of Trey McNutt

Texas product Keisean Henderson not only participated in the Navy All-American Bowl as a junior, bur. he would go on to win the game's MVP award.

Henderson is currently the highest-rated commitment in program history.

Will it hold?

He has offers from Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, etc., so it will be tough.

But the Cougars could ink a program-altering signal-caller if they can hang on.

6. 5-star OT Kodi Green (No. 20 overall; No. 5 offensive tackle)

Mater Dei offensive tackle Kodi Greene on a visit to Oregon /

Mater Dei has quickly grown as a perenntial national title contender - and a pipeline program for the Oregon Ducks.

The latest addition? Five-star offensive tackle Kodi Greene, who originally hails from the state of Washington.

Greene recently took a visit to Texas, and he will be a coveted prospect to the end, but if Oregon can keep him in the fold he will mark the second five-star offensive tackle originally from Washington in recent years, joining Josh Conerly Jr.

7. 5-star QB Dia Bell (No. 22 overall; No. 4 quarterback)

Dia Bell / Dia Bell

American Heritage (Florida) five-star quarterback Dia Bell is the son of former NBA star Raja Bell.

But he's emerging as an elite athlete in his own right.

Bell has been sensational over the past year, and his stock continues to climb.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound passer committed to Texas in June, but is being pursued by many others, recently adding an offer from Georgia.

But so far, Bell has acted as the future leader of the Longhorns.

8. 4-star ATH Kendre Harrison (No. 35 overall; No. 3 tight end)

Kendre Harrison following his commitment to the Oregon Ducks / Kendre Harrison Instagram

Elite athlete Kendre Harrison is rated as a five-star recruit by some sites and is teetering closely to being a five-star basketball recruit as well.

The 6-foot-7, 245-pound star intends to play both football and basketball in college and has expressed his status as "locked in" with the Ducks multiple times since his commitment in late November.

Still, many programs will try to flip him.

Harrison is a one of one in the 2026 class due to his versatility and jaw-dropping blend of size and athleticism.

9. 4-star RB Tradarian Ball (No. 37 overall; No. 2 running back)

Tradarian Ball /

Blazing-fast Texas running back Tradarian Ball has run for 2,741 yards and 37 touchdowns in his first three high school seasons, averaging 7.6 yards per carry (11.4 yards per carry as a junior).

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound playmaker has accumulated 40 scholarship offers so far.

10. 4-star DL Bott Mulitalo (No. 41 overall; No. 2 defensive lineman)

Bott Mulitalo / Courtesy of Bott Mulitalo

Oregon boasts four of the nation's top 10 pledges in the class of 2026 (so far), which explains why the class is No. 1 nationally.

Bott Mulitalo is rated as highly as the nation's No. 2 defensive lineman, and the versatile defender could continue to see his stock rise as he gets stronger and gains more exposure.