Tyler Merrill is the No. 1-ranked offensive guard in the 2026 class. The Cumberland Valley High School (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) standout also ranks as the No. 3 player in the state of Pennsylvania and the No. 91 overall prospect in the Rivals250 for the cycle.
As Merrill begins his junior campaign with the Eagles, he took some time to speak with Rivals about where things stand in his recruitment.
In June, Merrill took an unofficial visit to Wisconsin. Most recently, he took late-July visits to Notre Dame for the Fighting Irish's "Grill and Chill" event and to Michigan to experience the Wolverines' "BBQ at the Big House" weekend.
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Merrill enjoyed his time in the South Bend area and has made multiple unofficial visits to see the Fighting Irish throughout his recruitment.
"It was great," Merrill said about the recent trip to Notre Dame. "It was just a cookout with some games, and I got to catch up with some of the staff. It was a good time. I've been there four or five times now."
Merrill continues to stay in constant communication with Notre Dame's coaching staff, including head coach Marcus Freeman, offensive line coach Joe Rudolph and other coaches.
"I communicate with a good portion of the staff," Merrill said about Fighting Irish. "The other day, I was on the phone with coach Freeman and some of the recruiting staff just to chat, talk about upcoming games and how the season is going. I'd say my relationships there are very strong, and we just continue to build those every day."
Merrill also enjoyed his visits to Wisconsin and Michigan. He has built bonds with UW head coach Luke Fickell and offensive line coach AJ Blazek, among others. He has also made strong connections with UM head coach Sherrone Moore, offensive line coach Grant Newsome and the Wolverines.
"I thought all three were pretty awesome," Merrill said about his summer visits. "In Wisconsin, we got to have a scavenger hunt around the city of Madison. With Michigan, we got to the 'BBQ at the Big House,' which both (events) were equally awesome to experience."
The four-star offensive line prospect mentioned that all three schools have made him feel like he is at the top of their recruiting boards.
"I've felt every place I've physically visited has treated me as a priority," Merrill noted.
While Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin are all heavily pursuing Merrill — and he has built strong relationships with each — it is too early in the process to call them front-runners in his recruitment.
He has additional scholarship offers from Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Iowa State, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Carolina, , Virginia Tech, West Virginia and several others.
As of right now, he is open to all programs that are interested in him.
The next step is for Merrill and his family to sit down and map out their fall visit plans.
"I don't have any specific schools higher than others at this point, right now," Merrill explained. "I'm focused on my season with my team, but me and my family are considering narrowing down later on after the season."
The current plan for Merrill is to wait until the offseason — likely at some point between November and February — and discuss with his family before then narrowing down his contenders.
As mentioned above, the roughly 6-foot-6, 315-pound Merrill is ranked as the top guard in the 2026 class, but he also feels he has the positional versatility to play tackle if needed as well. He is a mauler who will aggressively drive defenders out of the play, but he also plays with plus-athleticism and strong technique, which makes him such a coveted recruit.
Still, he has things he wants to get better at once he enters the college ranks, and a coaching staff that can properly develop him at the next level will be a crucial factor in his eventual commitment decision.
"I'd say it's a mix (between guard and tackle)," Merrill said about his position projection. "I am willing to play anywhere I'm needed. I have been told I have the strength of a guard, and length of a tackle, so it just depends where my team needs me. I would describe my playing style as mauling, but also athletic. I believe I have the raw strength to excel in a weight room in college already, and it shows in the run game how my strength correlates. My favorite part of football is dominating that guy across from me, so I believe that's my favorable play style.
"Nevertheless, there are a million things to improve on, and my (college) decision will rely on who can help me the best on improving, as well as taking care of me and my family throughout the process."
In addition to his play on the field, Merrill is looking to step up as a leader for the Eagles in the locker room as well this season.
"At this point, it's not so much about learning the game, it's more of learning about how to be a leader for your team, because these last two years on varsity have been building confidence, now it's using what you've learned to teach others, so your team can win," he said when asked about his goals for his junior year.
As for a potential commitment date, again, Merrill is not in a hurry. He plans to take his official visits next summer and then finalize a decision after that.
He has plenty of time to figure out his future plans. The immediate focus for Merrill is simple: focus on the 2024 season and help Cumberland Valley reach its goals.
"I'm excited to win with my guys," Merrill said.
