Priority LB Brayden 'Tank' Watson commits to Michigan

Michigan secured its first linebacker pledge of the 2027 recruiting cycle Friday afternoon. Brayden “Tank” Watson, a priority three-star prospect out of Buford (Ga.) High, committed to the Wolverines. 

He picked the program over Pittsburgh and Vanderbilt. Linebackers coach Alex Whittingham locked in on him as a top target early this year, visited him in Georgia on multiple occasions and secured his commitment. Watson is the No. 36 linebacker in the country and the No. 49 recruit in Georgia. 

The Wolverines offered him Jan. 29. After picking up early scholarships from Oregon, USC and others as an underclassman, Michigan, Duke, Pittsburgh and Vanderbilt joined his recruitment this spring. He set official visits with U-M and the Panthers but didn’t need to take those trips. 

Watson spent several days in Ann Arbor earlier this spring. He went into that trip with very high expectations, and the visit solidified the program as one of his top schools. 

“We were sitting in a meeting with Coach Alex Whittingham, the linebacker coach, my dad loved it,” Watson said. “My parents loved it, maybe even more than I did. My dad was like, ‘I don’t know what my son’s doing, but I’m committing.’”

He built a very strong connection with Whittingham and felt the love from Michigan. Watson was one of the top linebacker targets on the board this cycle. 

The newest Wolverine commit plays both sides of the ball for Buford, Rivals’ No. 1-ranked high school program in the nation. He lines up at tight end and plays a versatile linebacker role where he lines up in the slot, in the box and on the edge. 

Watson is commit No. 16 in the 2027 class for the Wolverines, joining Top 100 defensive lineman Xavier Muhammad, Top 100 wide receiver Quentin Burrell, Rivals300 edge rusher Recarder Kitchen, Rivals300 safety Tavares Harrington, Rivals300 tight end Colt Lumpris, Rivals300 cornerback Darius Johnson, Rivals300 offensive lineman Jakari LIpsey, Rivals300 edge rusher Jayce Brewer, Rivals300 quarterback Kamden Lopati, four-star running back Tyson Robinson, three-star offensive lineman Sidney Rouleau, three-star safety Charles Woodson Jr., three-star offensive lineman Louis Esposito, three-star athlete Lundon Hampton and three-star safety Maxwell Miles.