Another big boy
On Thursday, 4-Star offensive lineman Tyler Merrill announced his commitment to Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame Football.
The 6’5 320 IOL from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, chose the Irish over the Michigan Wolverines, Alabama Crimson Tide, Clemson Tigers, Penn State Nittany Lions, and a very large handful of top schools from around the country.
BREAKING: It’s Notre Dame for Top247 OL Tyler Merrill.
He and I spoke earlier this week about his decision.
“I think Notre Dame is the place for me because of the people there. I fit in with the people there.”
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— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) January 30, 2025
Merrill is someone who can play tackle, but I think his best position could end up being inside at guard. He’s such a massive presence who can move people off the ball.
I think he could end up being a very similar player to UGA guard Tate Ratledge. He was an All-SEC player and is a projected day two pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Ratledge could have played tackle, but was an elite guard in the SEC for multiple seasons. I think Merrill has that kind of potential.
Merrill is Notre Dame’s 7th commitment in this class — a class that is currently ranked #5 in the nation according to the 247 Team Composite Rankings. The seven commitments represent five different states as Notre Dame annually pulls talent from all over the country to fill its recruiting classes.
Merrill is the third offensive line commitment for Notre Dame in a row. All three are just giant human beings and stand over 6’5” and over 300 pounds. These are some very beefy boys.
It’s early in the cycle, but the Irish are already holding one of the best offensive line classes in the country — and they will likely add at least two more before signing day in December. Joe Rudolph has done an excellent job developing his lineman at Notre Dame, and he probably deserves more credit than what he is getting. Notre Dame’s 2024 season could have been in real jeopardy with all of the offensive line injuries, but Rudolph had them playing as a complete unit. Adding elite talent like Merrill to the mix only solidifies the future and ensure great success in South Bend.