Atlanta led to successful regular season by freshman QB

TEXARKANA, TX (KTAL/KMSS) — Atlanta Football is having one of its best regular seasons in many years. Wrapping up the regular season with an 8-2 record and second place in district, the Rabbits are hoping for a long playoff run.

What makes their success even more special, they’ve done it all under the leadership of a freshman quarterback.

“We knew from early age he was special,” Atlanta head coach Tyler Morton said.

Brayden Thompson may not have had the most varsity time going into the season, but his quarterback experience goes back to the playground.

“I was the kid that could throw and so when we’d go out to lunch and I’d be the one throwing, and we got to 7th grade and that’s kind of how it went,” Thompson said.

 And in that moment, Morton knew that was the Rabbits future.

“We’ve known him since being a 7th grade quarterback. We could tell he did stuff early on that young guys don’t do,” Morton said. “He would never throw interceptions. He would always throw the ball of bounds. He wouldn’t take a sack. He would do stuff that that your veteran quarterbacks wouldn’t do.”

Playing quarterback for Atlanta was a dream that started back when he was younger, with stadium lights seeping through his bedroom window.

“I live really close to the stadium and ever since I was little, been coming to games,” Thompson said. “It’s have been a lot of fun. The dream was to one day get there. Now whether that one day would ever come, I never knew it sure felt like forever, but now it’s here, it flew by.”

Thompson was thrown into the varsity role in the first game of the season, on the road at Pleasant Grove, after Dre Simmons left with injury.

“All of a sudden, he’s in the game as a true freshman, a freshman and they’re going against a 4A powerhouse. He never got rattled,” Morton said.

Thompson said there were some nerves but there was no choice but to overcome those quickly.

“First play I was really scared. It was a big 4th down in their territory, but, getting flipped heels over head kind of fixed that, snapped out really quick and eliminated a lot of those nerves,” Thompson said.

Thompson was put in control of the offense at 14 years old, but despite his age, he was quickly respected by his older teammates.

“Even though he’s a freshman, he still commands respect. He’s the quarterback,” Morton said. “You can see in the huddle our guys believe in him, and he’s earned the respect and yeah, everybody’s together.”

Part of the respect comes from Thompson’s confidence. He is not afraid to share what he sees on the field, and suggest plays himself. It’s easy for him to make those calls knowing not only the team, but the community is behind him.

“A lot of it is built with the community around here, even just going to church on Sundays, people tell me good game, wanting to know more and just good luck, keep it going, just community support has been a huge, huge factor,” Thompson said.

With such an impressive freshman campaign, his future is bright, and his past is certainly proud.

“I’m sure he’d be so pumped. I mean, just think about it now it’s, it’s crazy,” Thompson said.

Atlanta is now on a bye week for the final regular season week of the 2025 schedule. The Rabbits await to see their path to state when playoff seedings are announced next week.