Jake Merklinger, in-state QB target, announces commitment date
Georgia quarterback target Jake Merklinger announced his plans to commit later this week this morning. With a final four of Michigan State, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina, the Savannah, Ga. prospect plans to commit on Thursday at 12:05 in the gymnasium of his high school.
Merklinger, the No. 66 overall prospect and No. 7 quarterback in the country according to the On3 Industry Ranking, was offered by Georgia in February, and he visited Athens as recently as March 19th. According to On3’s visit tracker, Merklinger has been in the Classic City at least five times since June of 2021.
“I have been to Georgia a lot and the people being very genuine is what stands out about the program,” Merklinger told On3 after receiving the offer. “How Georgia wins a lot, it being a home-state school and with my mom going there, those things are big too.”
“They’re winners. The visit was phenomenal. I love Coach Smart, and I had great conversations with the coaches,” he added, speaking to Chad Simmons about his final four schools. “Coach Bobo is very genuine, and I like that the QBs get a lot of reps and opportunities.”
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Merklinger was named one of the top performers at the Under Armour Atlanta camp in late February. Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting, noted good movement skills from the 6-foot-3, 195-pound blue chip prospect. Merklinger was named 2022 Offensive Player of the Year by the Savannah Quarterback Club as he threw for 1,987 yards and 32 touchdowns with just two interceptions, also adding 283 more yards and four more scores on the ground.
Tennessee holds a big advantage to land Merklinger according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine with an 87.8% chance to land Merklinger, but Georgia does have a chance. Merklinger grew up a Georgia fan and has attended several games at Sanford Stadium throughout his recruitment – and life – even before he received an offer earlier this spring.
Georgia, who currently has the No. 1 class in the country for 2024, has one quarterback committed but has been clear with its recruits of its plans to take two. Ryan Puglisi committed to the Bulldogs back in October while the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect Dylan Raiola has been on Georgia’s radar for quite some time, both before and especially after his decision to decommit from Ohio State in December.
Merklinger Scouting Summary
Accurate, mobile passer with a strong feel for the game early on in his high school career. Among the more accurate top quarterbacks in the 2024 cycle, completing over 70 percent of his passes as a sophomore. Comfortable navigating the pocket. Sees the field well, finding open receivers while under pressure. Shows the ability to quickly react and escape from pass rushers. Functional mobility both in and out of the pocket is among the best among top 2024 quarterbacks at this juncture. Can pick up chunks of yards with his legs on designed runs and scrambles. Has shown a good arm to this point, but can continue improving his velocity as he gets stronger, in addition to tightening his release. A multi-sport athlete who also plays basketball and lacrosse. – Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting
