Riverdale quarterback Braden Graham, Gatorade state Player of the Year, commits to Holy Cross
Riverdale senior quarterback Braden Graham spent the past several months looking for a college football program that "checked all the boxes" with him, regardless of size or stature.
He found that school after a recruiting visit in late January and committed to FCS power Holy Cross on Saturday.
"It was the best fit for me," said Graham, the state's Gatorade Player of the Year, TSSAA Mr. Football finalist and DNJ all-area player of the year. "It was a great place, great campus and great environment. Their staff came down to see me, which is a bit for them to fly down from Boston. They have phenomenal facilities. Power Five facilities.
"Going on the official visit, I didn't necessarily have to commit (last) weekend, but they blew me away. It felt like home."
Having kept his recent visits private, Graham declined to say who his other top choices were, saying only that of his final three, the other two were FBS Group of Five programs, with one being in the MAC and the other in the Sun Belt.
247Sports lists his most recent offers, including FBS schools Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Cincinnati, James Madison and Charlotte.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior quarterback completed 255 of 350 passes for 3,492 yards with 42 touchdowns and just three interceptions this season while leading Riverdale to a 10-3 record, 6A state quarterfinals berth and Region 3-6A championship.
He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as a three-star prospect, the No. 56 quarterback in the nation and No. 35 player overall in Tennessee in the 2024 class.
Holy Cross, under first-year coach Dan Curran, has been one of the best FCS programs in the nation of late. The Crusaders won or shared five consecutive Patriot League titles and went to four consecutive FCS playoffs (2019-22).
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"Ultimately I made a decision that I wasn't ready to commit going into my senior year," said Graham, who had a modest junior season at Riverdale after transferring from Lipscomb Academy before becoming arguably the best quarterback in the state in Class 6A. "I didn't feel great with the options I had at the moment. They didn't check every box.
"I found the spot for me. I challenge recruits to search for a school that really fits them, not just a logo or popularity. I'm thankful for the other schools that recruited me. There are just certain things that Holy Cross did better. I feel great about it."
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Football recruiting: Riverdale's Braden Graham commits to Holy Cross
