Brandon Family Files Lawsuit Against Georgia And Mississippi

Family of Faizon Brandon, No. 1 2026 QB, Suing Over State NIL Laws

Brandon Family Files Lawsuit Against Georgia and Mississippi

The family of Faizon Brandon, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class, has filed a lawsuit against the states of Georgia and Mississippi over their name, image, and likeness (NIL) laws.

The lawsuit alleges that the laws violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution because they discriminate against high school athletes who are not yet eligible to play college football.

NIL Laws Restrict High School Athletes

NIL laws allow college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. However, most of these laws do not apply to high school athletes.

The Brandon family argues that this creates an unfair playing field because it prevents high school athletes from earning the same amount of money as college athletes.

The lawsuit also alleges that the NIL laws violate the First Amendment because they restrict the speech of high school athletes.

The lawsuit is seeking an injunction to prevent the states of Georgia and Mississippi from enforcing their NIL laws against high school athletes.

Experts Weigh In

Some legal experts believe that the Brandon family has a strong case.

"The Equal Protection Clause prohibits states from discriminating against individuals based on their age," said Marc Edelman, a law professor at Harvard University.

"The NIL laws in Georgia and Mississippi clearly discriminate against high school athletes because they are not yet eligible to play college football," Edelman said.

Other experts are more skeptical of the Brandon family's chances of success.

"The Supreme Court has given states a lot of leeway to regulate education," said Patrick Walsh, a law professor at the University of Georgia.

"It is possible that the Court will uphold the NIL laws in Georgia and Mississippi on the grounds that they are a legitimate way to protect the integrity of high school athletics," Walsh said.

The lawsuit is still in its early stages, and it is unclear how it will be resolved.