The top 5 plays from Mercer QB Braden Atkinson’s Jerry Rice Award season

Mercer quarterback Braden Atkinson was the 15th recipient of the Jerry Rice Award. Atkinson completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 3,448 yards and 34 touchdowns to just seven interceptions during the 2025 regular season, adding in a rushing touchdown. Atkinson received 51 out of 54 first-place votes after leading Mercer to a 9-0 record against the FCS once he took over the starting quarterback role in Week 3.

RELATED: A complete history of the Jerry Rice Award

Atkinson has had a fantastic season filled with great performances. Here are the top plays from his freshman season.

The top plays from Jerry Rice Award winner Braden Atkinson's freshman year

The first touchdown

Braden Atkinson's first touchdown of the season came on a wheel route to the endzone after some misdirection. It would be a sign of things to come for the freshman, who would go on to throw 34 touchdowns during his rookie campaign. 

Touchdown Bears!

Braden Atkinson with a perfectly thrown ball to for the 16-yard touchdown! 🎯🔥

Q4 | 14:03
Mercer 22, Wofford 21

— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)

A touchdown off the back foot

Mercer was in need of some big plays, trailing against ETSU on the road. That's when Atkinson stepped up with this 17-yard touchdown pass off his back foot.

Touchdown Bears!

Go up and get it 😮‍💨

Q4 | 11:29
ETSU 34, Mercer 31

— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)

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The lone rushing touchdown

Atkinson is a quarterback who will beat you with his arms more than his legs, but against Furman, the freshman quarterback finally found the endzone on the ground.

3Q I 8:45
🐻 38
⚔️ 28

Quarterback takes it in himself from one yard away.

— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)

BRACKET: See the official 2025 FCS playoff bracket

A throw-on-the-run dime

In a battle for SoCon supremacy against Western Carolina, Atkinson set the tone early with this beautiful 50-yard pass that he made while rolling out to the left with pressure in his face.

. rolls right and drops it in the bucket to for a gain of 50 yards! 🤩🎯

— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)

A record-setting FCS regular season finale

Mercer played Chattanooga in its final FCS regular-season game of 2025. Atkinson ended the season with a bang, throwing a school-record-tying five touchdowns. It was his third time tying the single-game passing touchdown record, but Atkinson etched himself into the season's school record books against Chattanooga.

Atkinson set single-season program records for passing yards (3,243), passing touchdowns (33) and pass completions (230) with his 326-yard, five-touchdown and 28-completion day.

Single-season passing yard record

🚨 SCHOOL RECORD ALERT 🚨 moves atop Mercer's single season passing yards list with this 17-yard pass to Kendall Harris!

— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)

Single-season pass completion record

TOUCHDOWN MERCER! is now Mercer's single season record holder for pass completions after this 12-yard scoring strike to !

2Q I 10:34
🐻 28
🦤 3

— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)

Single-season passing touchdown record

THE RECORDS KEEP FALLING! breaks Fred Payton's 3-year-old school record with his 23rd TD pass of the season, this time to !

3Q I 9:04
🐻 49
🦤 3

— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)

More highlights

Watch more highlights from Atkinson's freshman season below.

In case you missed it…Braden Atkinson 🤝 National Freshman of the Year 🙂‍↕️🙌

— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball)