Brauny's Best: Highlighting top high school performances from Week 9
This week's edition of Brauny's Best is going to look a tad bit different than it normally does. The reason for that is that I didn't attend a high school football game last week. A non-intriguing slate in Houston on Thursday night, coupled with Aggie baseball's exhibition on Friday night, meant I was completely off the road for the weekend. Still, the show must go on, so here's a look at Week 9's top performers.
Texas A&M Class
2025 La Verne (CA) Bonita LB Noah Mikhail
- 4 carries, 13 yards, 1 touchdown
- 2 receptions, 39 yards, 1 touchdown
- 7 solo tackles, 2 assisted, 2 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 hurry, 2 pass breakup
Talk about filling up a stat sheet. Mikhail was all over the yard last week as he led his team to a 49-21 victory to remain undefeated on the season. I feel like he just keeps getting better every week, too. His athletic profile doesn't get enough attention, and if I had to pick a kid in the 2025 commit class that I think is flying under the radar with both the fanbase and national analysts, it might be Mikhail. I'm not saying he's some sort of diamond in the rough or anything of the sort. His offer list would suggest he's actually very far removed from that label. However, I still think there's an argument for him to be bumped into the top five players in California.
State of Texas
2026 Georgetown RB Jett Walker
- 16 carries, 404 yards, 5 touchdowns
This kid is starting to make some noise on the recruiting scene in central Texas. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder has the look of a next-level linebacker, but he has been toting the rock this fall like he has no intentions to flip over to the other side of the ball. Obviously, a kid of that stature is going to run with some power, but I'm more impressed with this contact balance and pull-away speed. I think it catches defenders in space by surprise. You see a lot of attempted altered angles in pursuit. Last Friday, Walker averaged 25.2 yards per carry and scored on about every third carry. I suspect that his junior highlight tape is starting to make the rounds among college coaches.
My Coverage
Redshirt Sophomore 1B Blake Binderup
- 2-for-3, 2 2B, 5 RBI
See, I told you this week's article would look a little different. Since I was at Blue Bell Park on Friday, I figured I'd shine the light on the Aggies' top performer in a 13-1 exhibition win over Houston. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound College Station native put a stamp on an outstanding fall with a quality night against the Cougars in front of the 12th Man. Don't forget Binderup homered twice in the first exhibition against Houston Christian. He doubled to right center to drive in a pair. He doubled into the left field corner to score two more, and he also chipped in with a sac fly early in the contest. Don't forget that he was the Opening Day starter at first base last season. If he backs up his strong fall with a good preseason run-in, he will be well on his way to claiming that spot in February again.
