You read that right! No one in the country has more receiving touchdowns as of today than Mason Kinsey. The Habersham Central (’16) alum is building off last year’s incredible sophomore breakout season that saw him shred every school record.
This season, it’s looking like those numbers won’t be safe. To date, Kinsey has 13 TD catches to go with 507 receiving yards on 29 receptions. Last season, he put together a stat line of 77 receptions, 1,245 yards and 17 TD, all Berry College records.
The junior has already 13 trips to the end zone in half the games he played last season. It was expected to be another big year for the former Raider, as he was named a Podyum’s D-III Pre-Season All-American (First Team).
“It means that my team’s work is paying off,” says Kinsey on being named an All-American. “I’m a firm believer that hard work brings profit. I have an amazing team and coaching staff that makes things easy for me. The better they play, the easier my job gets. I love those guys.”
And technically, Kinsey has 14 TDs…as he recorded a 32-yard rushing score at LaGrange this season as well. Kinsey’s 507 yards ranks 41st across NCAA D-III, but the TDs are first, and not just within D-III. No player in FBS, FCS, D-II or D-III has more than Kinsey.
“I want to be the best player for my team,” says Kinsey on what drives him to get better each day. “I have a lot of self motivation to be the best player I can be, and my parents are a big reason for that. I have a dream to play professional football and the only way that’s going to work is if I continue to get better regardless of my previous accomplishments.”
He has scored a TD in every game this season for the Vikings, and has five of the six games with two or more touchdowns, which includes back-to-back three touchdown performances.
As great as all these accomplishments are for Kinsey, he has a much bigger goal in mind.
“I want to win a National Championship,” says Kinsey. “Individual statistics are cool, but if it doesn’t convert to wins, then it doesn’t mean much. I just want to keep winning with this team. I don’t care if I catch another touchdown if we aren’t winning. I want to go all the way.”
At this rate, Berry has a chance to do so, as it is 6-0 and 4-0 in conference play, earning the Vikings a #13 national ranking.
He left Habersham as the second all-time leading receiver, recording 1,355 yards and 10 TDs, while adding 15 tackles and two interceptions. He had 718 yards (4 TD) as a senior in 2015 and 637 yards (6 TD) as a junior, and was named twice to the All-Region team and once to the All-Area team. Kinsey is third on the single-season and career reception list for Habersham, hauling in 54 passes as a senior and 82 overall. His career-best as a Raider came with a 9-rec, 175-yd performance in 2014. He also put up the third-best receiving total in a single season (in yards) with his 718 as a senior.
