1 week Ago
With only a few weeks until early National Signing Day, college football recruiting is heating up once again. Teams are locking in the bulk of their 2025 freshman classes, and some players are reconsidering their original commitments. The Nebraska Cornhuskers are set to benefit from one player's recent change of heart, as a top recruit is now heading to Lincoln after decommitting from the program he initially chose.
According to Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports , four-star linebacker Dawson Merritt has flipped from Alabama to Nebraska. Merritt originally committed to the Crimson Tide back in June, and Matt Rhule and his staff began working to flip him the following month. BREAKING: Four-Star EDGE Dawson Merritt has Flipped his Commitment from Alabama to Nebraska, he tells me for @on3recruits The 6’3 215 EDGE from Overland Park, KS had been Committed to the Crimson Tide since June “Trusting that the Lord is guiding me down the right path.
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pic.twitter.com/zJAMn4DnUf Merritt visited Nebraska in September and saw their win over Colorado in person, and Rhule traveled to watch him play in October.
The linebacker is set to return to Nebraska to watch their game against Wisconsin on November 23. Merritt is one of six four-star prospects to commit to Nebraska so far, joining fellow defenders Christian Jones, Malcolm Simpson and Kade Pietrzak. The Huskers have also added two four-star players on offense in Isaiah Mozee and TJ Lateef.
Nebraska has traditionally recruited well in the middle portion of the country, and that's no different with Merritt. He plays at Blue Valley High School in Overland, Kansas, and is one of multiple players on the roster with Division I offers. Steven Branscombe/Getty Images The Huskers are currently 5-4 with three games remaining this season, giving Rhule three more chances to ensure that the team is bowl eligible.
If Nebraska can get that sixth win, they'll be bowl eligible for the first time since 2016 - the second year of the short-lived Mike Riley tenure. Rhule has proven to be a force in recruiting, particularly when it comes to flipping players. He landed one of the biggest players in the nation last year when Dylan Raiola elected to flip to Nebraska after initially committing to Georgia.
We'll see what the rest of the recruiting season has in store for the Huskers, but Rhule and his staff are off to an impressive start by bringing in Merritt. Related: Matt Rhule Announces Plan For Nebraska Play Caller Dana Holgorsen.
