Braxton Berrios has one college football game left, but no classes remaining. The Miami Hurricanes wide receiver graduated this past semester as valedictorian of the School of Business Administration.
Berrios' academic career was almost perfect. He entered his final semester with a 3.96 GPA. He earned A's in every class but one -- Finance 320: Investments in Security Markets -- which he received a B+.
"It was a group project," Berrios says. "I still don't like talking about it, in case you're wondering. And that's one of the things in life that you really learn to control what you can't control. And it was a real big teaching moment for me, and it happened a year ago."
Berrios hadn't gotten a B since middle school. But he's also spent his whole life playing for teams, so he gets the part about responsiblity.
"You can't force anybody else to put the effort in that you do and everything that you do may still not come out and the result may not be what you would hope for," he says. "You control what you can control, and they obviously didn't put in as much effort as I did into it and ended up with a B."
I love how you picked this picture to exemplify my feelings about that B https://t.co/TsRaAcfa1P
— Braxton Berrios (@HNYNUT_BERRIOS) December 5, 2017
While maintaining all these grades, Berrios found a way to be a star in Coral Gables. As a senior this season, he leads the Hurricanes in receptions (52), receiving yards (634) and receiving touchdowns (nine). He was named to the All-ACC third team as a receiver, earned All-ACC honorable mention for special teams and won the Jim Tatum Award as the conference's top scholar-athlete.
And he is over the "bad" grade.
"It was one of those moments where you step back and I got to admire what I'd done up to that point," he says. "And although that grade was set in stone, it was one of those times in life where you really learn a valuable lesson."
Berrios will end his college football career with one more game in Hard Rock Stadium. No. 10 Miami takes No. 6 Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.
Braxton Berrios is:
- Valedictorian; School of Business Administration
- An Academic All-American
- A Campbell Trophy finalist
- The Pop Warner College Football Award winner
- The Jim Tatum Award winner
- A Graduate pic.twitter.com/i4jskOtNz9— Canes Football (@CanesFootball) December 15, 2017
ThePostGame spoke to Berrios in New York City where the National Football Foundation honored him as a National Scholar-Athlete Class & Campbell Trophy Finalist. Virginia's Micah Kiser was awarded the William V. Campbell Trophy, commonly referred to as the "Academic Heisman." The 2017 College Football Hall of Fame Class, which includes Peyton Manning, Brian Urlacher and Matt Leinart, among others, was also honored.
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