Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com

Southern Miss has a history of producing standout quarterbacks, and transfer Braylon Braxton is preparing to add his name to that list.
The senior from Frisco, Texas, transferred to Southern Miss after spending last season at Marshall. He enters the 2025 season on both the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award preseason watch lists.
Braxton recorded his best statistical season in 2024, finishing with career highs in passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage. He threw 19 touchdowns and only two interceptions last year, bringing his career total to 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Despite the national recognition, Braxton said he does not feel added pressure.
“It’s the same game, different place. I really wouldn’t call it pressure because this is something I’ve been wanting to do my whole life,” Braxton said during the Sun Belt Conference’s recent media day. “I always wanted to be a football player. I never really wanted to be anything else. So, when you start getting recognized for what you want to do, it’s kind of cool.”
Braxton credited his relationship with first-year Southern Miss head coach Charles Huff with helping him stay confident under center.
“When you don’t have to worry about like if I mess up, coach is going to pull me out or this coach really wants me to succeed; when you can just go out there and play free-minded, I feel it makes you play 100 times better,” Braxton said.
He will also work with offensive coordinator Blake Anderson, who previously coached at Southern Miss when the Golden Eagles ranked among the nation’s top 20 in total offense and rushing offense.
Braxton will be reunited with several of his former Marshall teammates in Hattiesburg. Receivers Chuck Montgomery, Elijah Metcalf, Tychaun Chapman, Bralon Brown and Carl Chester followed Huff to Southern Miss and will line up alongside Braxton this fall.
Huff said he sees Braxton’s success as part of a larger process of development.
“I think you got to look back and say, ‘Okay, where within the growth of, you know, his development, where can I get better?’” Huff said on the Locked on Sun Belt podcast. “I think sometimes what happens is the projection or expectation of a season or statistics outweigh the ability to grow. We have this perception that oh, because he was player of the year, he’s supposed to have Heisman numbers when really he just needs to improve, and that’s the thing… And I think he understands that.”