Two-Way Star Puts Michigan In Top Group
We all know that Jim Harbaugh loves well-rounded athletes who succeed in multiple areas. During recruiting camps, Harbaugh used to have the campers field ground balls and catch pop ups, get after it on the basketball court and even play dodgeball. He wants to see athletes who can think and react in various situations whether they're comfortable doing it or not. Because of that, you know he loves Yelm (Wash.) High linebacker Brayden Platt. The 6-2, 240-pounder is an elite throw in track and field and dominates on both sides of the ball on the gridiron.
National recruiting editor Brandon Huffman said this on Platt's 247 Sports page.
Platt is arguably the top two-way prospect in the state of Washington and he's also one of the top two-sport athletes in the state, a state champion thrower and a Top 100 player nationally in the 2024 class. Platt is the workhorse back for the Tornadoes while also being the anchor of their defense and it's easy to see why he's one of the top pure football players in the West in the 2024 class. He can run, he can hit, he can catch, he can tackle, he can pretty much do it all. The All-American Bowl selection is a stifling run stopper, if he gets his hands on the back, the back is done running. He doesn't lose many battles against offensive linemen- he shoots the gaps, gets underneath them or sheds his block and stops the runner in his tracks. While his future is certainly on defense, you can see what a weapon he is out of the backfield.
For a while, whenever Platt was asked about his favorite schools, Michigan wasn't mentioned, but after checking out Ann Arbor recently, the Wolverines are in the mix. To be exact, Platt will be deciding between Michigan and seven other schools.
As a west coast prospect, teams like Oregon, USC and UCLA seem to be the most realistic suitors, but Notre Dame, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Miami are also vying for his services.