Braden Atkinson, Mercer Football News: Draft Scout Player News

Draft Scout College Football Player News

11/26/25 - QB Braden Atkinson, Fr/2029, Mercer, (DS#15 QB)

2025 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR (COACHES): Braden Atkinson, QB, Mercer,...Mercer's Atkinson has put together one of the best freshman seasons ever by a quarterback nationally. He needs only 370 more yards through the air to break Elon's Scott Riddle's 2007 single-season SoCon and FCS freshman passing mark of 3,817 yards. His 34 passing touchdowns broke the previous FCS freshman mark of 31 set in 2004 by New Hampshire's Ricky Santos and tied in 2007 by Riddle. Atkinson is within striking distance of Riddle's SoCon and national freshman mark of 3,738 total offensive yards, which Riddle set in 2007 at Elon. He needs five more touchdowns responsible for to catch Riddle for the SoCon's freshman record (40), also set in 2007. Atkinson is the second Mercer player in a row to earn SoCon Freshman of the Year honors, joining Andrew Zock (2024). He is the first Mercer offensive player to win the award since quarterback Kaelan Riley (2017). Atkinson ranks second among all quarterbacks nationally in passing yards per game (344.8), passing yards (3,448), completions (25.0), and touchdowns (34). He ranks third nationally among all quarterbacks in total offense (345.8), passing efficiency (173.80), yards per attempt (9.4) and points responsible for (21.0 per game). He leads all FCS freshman in passing offense (by 921 yards) and total offense (by 619 yards).

Atkinson's best game through the air this season, a 533-yard effort vs. VMI, fell only seven yards shy of the NCAA FCS freshman record for yards passing in a game. It fell one yard shy of the SoCon freshman mark, set in 2007 by Scott Riddle. Atkinson's 533 yards are the fifth most in a game in SoCon history overall. He tossed a season-high five touchdowns vs. Samford (10/4), VMI (10/25), and Chattanooga (11/15) and had at least three touchdown passes in eight of the 10 games he played during the regular season. Atkinson's current passing efficiency rating (173.80) would rank third all-time in SoCon history, regardless of class, for a season. Dickens' rating of 188.24 this season broke Michael Payton's previous mark of 181.30 set in 1991. Atkinson is one of only two quarterbacks in SoCon history to pass for more than 2,000 yards over a five-game stretch, joining Devlin Hodges (Samford). Hodges did so three times over two different seasons. Atkinson's stretch of six consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards is second in SoCon history behind Riddle's nine-game stretch in 2007. - SoCon Football

(DS#15 QB) Fr/2029