Tennessee commit Brandon Faizon drops 4-word reaction as four-star OT picks Vols over Ryan Day's Ohio State

Four-star offensive tackle J.B. Shabazz committed to Tennessee's 2026 class on Friday. The 6-foot-6, 280-pound North Carolina native chose Josh Heupel's Vols over South Carolina and Ohio State.

Shabazz’s pledge comes following several other commitments for Tennessee last week, including safety Jowell Combay on Wednesday, as well as linebacker Brayden Rouse and athlete Javonte Smith on Tuesday. Altogether, the Vols’ 2026 class now features 21 commitments.

Shabazz becomes the second recruit from North Carolina to join Tennessee's 2026 class, alongside five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon. Brandon is the No. 1 player in North Carolina and the No. 3 quarterback nationally. After Shabazz went public with his decision, Brandon welcomed him on X, posting:

"Oh yessir welcome home‼️#GBO 🍊."

In a conversation with SI after his announcement, Shabazz noted that both Brandon and another Tennessee commit, Edward Baker, played a role in recruiting him.

"I talked with Faizon, he was talking to me, trying to convince me too. Edward Baker and I started chatting a lot after my OV to Tennessee."

Before making his choice, Shabazz took official visits to South Carolina, Penn State, NC State and Ohio State. He is the No. 29 offensive tackle in the 2026 class and the No. 320 prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports Composite.

J.B. Shabazz shares how Tennessee secured his commitment

J.B. Shabazz received an offer from Tennessee on Feb. 11, and his commitment came exactly five months later. His first offer came earlier from North Carolina on September 29, 2023, making the Vols' offer relatively late in his recruiting journey.

In an interview with SI, Shabazz explained why he chose Josh Heupel’s program despite their late entry into the mix:

"First off, if you don't know, they came kind of late in the recruiting process. It was just their consistency, pretty much. Everybody talks to me consistently, and I hear from the coaches at least once or twice a week. "It was consistent, and they talked to me and made it clear that they really wanted me to come down and see the school, and I am glad I got to do that."

Shabazz shared that his decision ultimately came down to Tennessee and South Carolina, with the Vols winning out because it simply felt right.

"I felt like I could be myself," Shabazz said. "And I felt like it was a big family. So it was the one for me to pick."

Shabazz is the second four-star offensive tackle for the Vols' 2026 class, joining Gabriel Osenda.

Edited by John Maxwell