Tyler Merrill is not your typical 6-foot-5, 330-pounder. In fact, the Notre Dame football offensive line recruit from Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Cumberland Valley is far from it.
Just ask Josh Oswalt , the four-star prospect’s head coach for the last two seasons. He has had a front-row seat to Merrill’s rise as a recruit.
“I’ve worked with big kids before,” Oswalt told Blue & Gold . “And it’s like, ‘Man, I wish you weren’t such a wet blanket. I wish you were a little more of an aggressor because, holy cow, you’re a giant.’ Tyler Merrill is a giant, and he knows how to flip the switch, which is pretty impressive and special.”
Twenty-seven college football programs seem to agree. So does the On3 Industry Ranking — a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services— which ranks him as the No. 2 prospect in Pennsylvania, and the No. 6 interior offensive lineman and No. 66 overall player nationally in the 2026 cycle.
To say Oswalt saw Merrill’s potential immediately would be unfair. But at the very least, the fifth-year coach at Cumberland Valley had an inkling Merrill was different as early as sixth grade.
About five years ago, Oswalt had the opportunity to observe Merrill for the first time. His program ran youth workouts in late July/early August. Merrill was one of the participants, and he instantly stood out because of his size and willingness to actively compete.
For a player like that to join Merrill’s program one day would be a blessing.
“I was like, ‘That’s a big joker right there,’” said Oswalt, recalling his first impression of Merrill. “So, as a football coach, you get excited about that. He’s a big kid that enjoys being active.”
After watching Merrill’s workout, Oswalt kept tabs on him for the next few years. Merrill continued physically checking the boxes. Still, Oswalt wanted to evaluate his social and mental growth. So, Oswalt encouraged Merrill to participate in the team’s early workout groups as an eighth grader.
Merrill passed the test. And Oswalt’s dedication to his development quickly paid off.
After a successful summer before his freshman season, Merrill moved up the team’s offensive line depth chart and appeared on the second string. Then, the player ahead of him suffered an injury during a scrimmage, thrusting the freshman Merrill into action.
According to Oswalt, Merrill “never looked back.”
Merrill reported interest from Penn State and Virginia Tech and unofficially visited both schools during his breakout freshman season. Eventually, Akron became the first school to offer him a scholarship after it on Jan. 18, 2022. Power conference schools Syracuse and West Virginia became involved six days later and offered him.
Before his sophomore season began, Pittsburgh, Iowa State, Nebraska, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan and Texas A&M entered the mix. Merrill also camped with Irish offensive line coach Joe Rudolph in June 2023 and visited campus for the USC game on Oct. 14.
About five months later, Notre Dame became the 20th program to offer him. It joined the seven power conference programs, as well as Boston College, Duke, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin. It didn’t take long for SEC powers Alabama and Georgia to target the Central Pennsylvania product after the Irish offered.
Merrill’s commitment to constantly refining his craft credits his astounding ascension.
“Believe it or not, there’s a lot of 6-5, big bodies out there that aren’t his caliber,” Oswalt said. “What sets him apart is his hunger and work ethic to be a better version of himself whenever he comes out.”
Merrill will have a hard decision to make soon enough
Merrill is no longer a ginormous grade-schooler making moves in Mechanicsburg. He’s the fifth-highest-rated prospect in the state and second-ranked offensive lineman.
His recruitment is only going to become more competitive. In the offseason, he unofficially visited Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State twice and made it to Alabama and Georgia on separate weekends. By the time this offseason rolls around, he should have a good idea of whether those schools, or others, are leading the charge.
Oswalt said development, education and relationships with the coaching staff will all be key to his school securing his eventual college commitment. Not only does Merrill have the potential to play in the NFL, but he aspires to make it there.
If he does, do not count Oswalt among those who will be surprised. After all, he knew Merrill was an outlier from the start.
“He is larger than life — that kid, man,” Oswalt said. “He’s literally, physically larger than life. He’s an unbelievable presence. Socially, he is not a mute. He is a jovial, big kid who loves to work hard but also loves to joke around. But when he gets on the field, he’ll rip your face off.
“It’s a blessing to have that. Those guys are diamonds in the rough.”
The post How top-100 OL prospect Tyler Merrill became a Notre Dame football-level recruiting target appeared first on On3 .
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