The Nebraska football team rarely collects recruiting wins over Alabama. Yet head coach Matt Rhule and company pulled the unimaginable on Thursday: Flipping a Crimson Tide commit to the Cornhuskers.
Four-star edge rusher Dawson Merritt pivots to Nebraska after previously committing to Alabama. Hayes Fawcett of On3.com confirmed Merritt is indeed heading to Lincoln instead of Tuscaloosa. He chose ‘Bama back on June 7.
Landing the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder emerges as a major recruiting coup for Rhule and Nebraska. The Cornhuskers rarely coaxed Alabama commitments into having a change of heart. Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban ensured prized recruits stayed locked in before signing the letter of intent. This Crimson Tide class is even predicted to flip an elite Michigan four-star safety commit in Ivan Taylor.
However, suspicion grew back in September that Merritt and Nebraska could become a pairing. Rhule and the Cornhuskers hosted multiple recruits including the then-Alabama commit ahead of the Sept. 5 Colorado game.
Now, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer suffers a major recruiting defeat with the early signing period still less than a month away. Merritt happens to be the second past Tide pledge to decommit.
Alabama lost five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham on Tuesday. Cunningham will instead head to Southeastern Conference rival Ole Miss. Rhule and Nebraska, though, reel in a major big fish into Big 10 Conference country. Furthermore, Merritt becomes a pivotal regional recruiting win for the ‘Huskers.
Nebraska football gets Midwest prospect with NFL ties
Merritt stars for Blue Valley High in Overland, Kansas. Meaning he starred three hours south of the Cornhuskers.
The towering pass rusher established himself as the state of Kansas' No. 4 ranked prospect for the 2025 class by 247Sports. He got offered by 24 different collegiate programs including Oklahoma and Arizona. National recruiting analyst Allen Trieu of 247Sports called Merritt a “long, athletic linebacker prospect who can play a variety of roles within a defense” in his evaluation of the defender.
Merritt isn't just bringing length and pass rushing prowess in tow to Lincoln. He's got NFL pedigree. The Blue Valley High star's dad is Dave Merritt — who played for the Miami Dolphins and is now the defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. Nebraska additionally secures a “Chiefs Kingdom” victory by landing a prospect hailing from the defending Super Bowl champs.
Merritt instantly rises to the top verbal commit for Nebraska by 247Sports. The Cornhuskers, under Rhule, now sit at No. 20 nationally for the 2025 class.
Nebraska now has USC to prepare for on Saturday in a crucial conference battle. Both programs remain in the race for a bowl bid. The Cornhuskers, though, are an 8.5-point underdog down in Los Angeles. But Nebraska is entering the weekend with huge recruiting momentum after landing Merritt.
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