Notre Dame Visit Meets Expectations For Standout Lineman Tyler Merrill

Notre Dame made a strong impression on 2026 offensive lineman Tyler Merrill

2026 offensive lineman Tyler Merrill / Tyler Merrill

Notre Dame hosted an impressive group of 2025 and 2026 recents on Saturday for spring practice. The largest player in attendance was 2026 Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Cumberland Valley offensive lineman Tyler Merrill, who is an imposing force on the field and a player that the Irish are valuing heavily early on. 

Having already built a strong bond prior to the visit, Merrill was excited to get to know the Irish coaches a lot better in person. That relationship took a massive step while in South Bend. 

"I loved the more personable conversations with Coach (Marcus) Freeman and Coach (Joe) Rudolph,” Merrill told Irish Breakdown. "It was kind of about the expectation of coming to Notre Dame, and what to expect.”

Merrill also had the chance to get to speak with some current Notre Dame players on Saturday. That included a player with a very similar background as him, both from where they grew up and what position they play.

"I got to talk to Peter Jones during the trip, who is also a Pennsylvania native,” said Merrill. "We got to catch up a bit. He talked about his experience and what sold him on Notre Dame.”

After checking out the campus, the practice and getting the coaches and players perspectives, Merrill came away impressed with what Notre Dame brings to the table. It is a program that he can very well see him be a part of down the road. 

“We didn’t touch that much about how I would fit as a player,” he explained. “It was more about how I would fit as a person by my characteristics and academics. I definitely see it as a place I’d fit in perfectly. My opinion hasn’t changed at all about them after the visit. They are awesome people, and have an awesome culture."

Merrill is currently rated as a four-star recruit by every major recruiting platform that has ranked him so far. Both On3 and 247Sports see him similarly, ranking him as the No. 50 and No. 53 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class respectively. 

The 6-5, 320-pound offensive lineman has already garnered the attention of several big time programs. Some of Merrill’s top offers so far include the Irish, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Iowa State, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse among others. 

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