Oregon State Adds Award-Winning Quarterback Transfer Braden Atkinson

Braden Atkinson, a quarterback who won the Jerry Rice Award as the best freshman football player in all of FCS, committed to Oregon State on Sunday morning. Learn more here.

Nov 22, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Mercer Bears quarterback Braden Atkinson (11) throws a pass as Auburn Tigers defensive end Keyron Crawford (24) closes in during the second quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

On Sunday, award-winning FCS starting quarterback Braden Atkinson traded Mercer's orange & white for Oregon State's orange & black.

First reported by On3's Hayes Fawcett and then confirmed on Atkinson's own social media account, Mercer's starting quarterback will transfer to Oregon State.

Atkinson lit the championship subdivision ablaze last season: in 11 starts, he completed 268-of-406 passes (66%) for 3596 passing yards (326.9 per game) and 34 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. For his efforts, he won the Jerry Rice Award, presented annually to the best freshman football player in all of FCS, regardless of position.

Atkinson is not the first Beaver to earn that hardware: former Idaho and Oregon State quarterback Gevani McCoy, who played 10 games in 2024 with 9 starts, won the award as a freshman on the Palouse in 2022. Other notable winners include 2025 NFL first overall draft pick Cam Ward (2020), 2021 NFL third overall draft pick Trey Lance (2019) and former all-pro NFL wide receiver Cooper Kupp (2013).

Originally a two-star quarterback out of Rolesville HS (Rolesville, NC), in Raleigh's suburbs, the 6'1" 215 pound passer earned offers from Boston College, Miami of Ohio, Cornell, Mercer, and others. A desire for playing time brought him to Mercer, where the true freshman exceled. Partly due to Atkinson's aforementioned passing prowess, the Bears won nine consecutive games from September through November, clinched the Southern Conference title, and reached the FCS playoffs. Along the way, he proved he could play up a level: in a matchup with Auburn in late November, Atkinson completed 20-of-33 passes (60%) for 210 yards and 1 touchdown, with 2 interceptions.

When next season begins, Atkinson will be a true sophomore with a minimum of three years of eligibility remaining. He joins a quarterback room that includes redshirt-junior Maalik Murphy, who started 8 games across 10 appearances, and a revamped air raid passing attack led by new offensive coordinator Mitch Dahlen.