Brauny's Best: Highlighting top high school performances from Week 2

Football season is officially underway from coast to coast now as we enter the meat of September. With that, another round of Brauny’s Best takes a look at some top performances from Texas and beyond. Here’s who stood out to me from this past week of games.

Texas A&M’s 2027 Class

Leesburg (GA) Lee County WR Jaden Upshaw‍

• 12 receptions, 231 yards, 2 touchdowns
• 1 punt return touchdown

Is there a prep wide receiver in the country playing better football than Upshaw? I’m sure arguments could be made elsewhere, but he’s absolutely in the discussion. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is running around, through and over opposing defenses like it’s nothing in the early portions of the season. He came into the season as one of the more highly-regarded pass catchers in the region, but this pace as a senior should throw him into five-star discussions. He’s been that good. The highlight tape from this past weekend is full of “that’s not normal.”

State of Texas

Tyler RB CaDarius McMiller‍

• 46 carries, 326 yards, 4 touchdowns

A longstanding rivalry nearly as old as the Pine Curtain itself went the way of the Tyler Lions on Friday night, and McMiller, an Oregon commit, etched his name in East Texas folklore with his outing against the crosstown Tyler Legacy Red Raiders. McMiller doesn’t possess as much wiggle as some other backs in the state, but what he lacks there is more than made up for with his power, balance and vision. A subtle dip of the shoulder or slight reroute turns into a battering ram through the line of scrimmage as would-be tacklers bounce away. Once he gets into the open, his long stride eats up big chunks of real estate. He may be atypical of what you think to be an Oregon running back, but the Ducks got a good one.

My Coverage

Cy Ranch QB Braden Baker‍

• 16-for-21 passing, 254 yards, 4 touchdowns

Baker has always been a high-upside player. He’s a big kid (6-foot-5, 200 pounds) with some emerging athleticism/mobility and a rocket launcher attached to his right shoulder. However, up to this point in his prep career, the accuracy and decision-making would come and go throughout the course of games. I saw a huge step forward in those areas as his skill and toughness propelled Cy Ranch to an upset win over CE King, 31-28. Several analysts in attendance came away wondering if Baker didn’t deserve a significant move up in the quarterback rankings in the state of Texas. I can tell you this: He’ll make a substantial jump in ours the next time we meet about it.