Oregon State will likely need to roll out the red carpet to keep quarterback Braden Atkinson this offseason.
When you think of college football quarterbacks, Oregon, not Oregon State, typically comes to the forefront.
The Ducks feature a roster that includes Dante Moore and Dylan Raiola, Brock Thomas and Akili Smith, Jr.
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But it is the Beavers who boast the current NCAA Division I leader in passing yards.
His name is Braden Atkinson, and he is likely to be a top target of your favorite team this coming offseason.
Get To Know Oregon State Quarterback Braden Atkinson
A sophomore from Raleigh, North Carolina, Atkinson completed 268 of 407 for 3,611 yards and 34 touchdowns last year. He is not much of a runner, but he had just 11 interceptions among those 407 attempts.
This season, Atkinson has been even better.
In addition to leading the country in passing yards with 2,257, he has thrown 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions. His completion percentage has improved from 66 to almost 71, adding in a pair of rushing TDs.
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Oregon State has not lost since a 35-24 setback to Texas Tech in early September. They have rolled through Montana, UTEP, Colorado State and San Diego State.
Over the last two wins, the Beavers have scored 122 points. They are averaging almost 52 per game during this current run of victories.
Beavers Picked Up Atkinson Through The Transfer Portal
It should come as no surprise that Oregon State acquired Atkinson through the same transfer portal they are going to have to defend him against.
After a strong pair of prep seasons at Rolesville High School in Rolesville, North Carolina, the 6-foot-1 gunslinger committed to Mercer. He was the backup for two games before earning the starting job.
Atkinson took off from there, setting a school single-game record with 538 yards. He was named the winner of the Jerry Rice Award, setting school records for passing touchdowns, yards, attempts and completions.
He completed 66 percent of his passes, leading Mercer to a 9-2 record. Atkinson finished with 34 touchdowns and 3,611 yards, earning SoCon Freshman of the Year and second team all-conference status.
Braden Atkinson Looking At Massive NIL Bump
According to The NIL Standard, Atkinson’s estimated NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) value is just under $1.2 million. It was reported that he received $500,000 for committing to Oregon State from Mercer.
The entire NIL roster valuation for Oregon State is just under $12 million. For comparison, Oregon is over $43 million while the average is for the Power 4 plus Notre Dame is anywhere between $22 million and well into the $30 million range.
What does that mean? Well, the Beavers are going to have to find some extra cash in order to keep their budding superstar quarterback.