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Penn State adds offensive lineman Tyler Merrill to junior day list

Mug-Shot 4x4by:Ryan Snyder•01/17/24•

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Four-star offensive lineman Tyler Merrill. (Credit: Ryan Snyder | Blue White Illustrated)

One of Penn State’s top Class of 2026 targets will be back in Happy Valley this Saturday, Jan. 20, as offensive lineman Tyler Merrill confirmed with Blue White Illustrated that he’ll return to campus this weekend.

A native of Mechanicsburg, Pa., Merrill earned an offer from the Nittany Lions last May and is now up over a dozen schools total. That includes two of Penn State’s Big Ten rivals, Michigan and Ohio State, with both schools already hosting him for at least one visit. Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Syracuse and Virginia Tech have also hosted Merrill over the past year.

Back in August, Merrill was one of a handful of talented Pennsylvania sophomores to earn an early four-star rating from On3. Since then, both 247Sports and Rivals have also listed him as a Top 100 prospect. Because of that, Merrill is currently ranked No. 57 in the country in On3’s Industry Ranking. He’s the sixth-ranked offensive tackle and the third-ranked player in the Keystone State for his class.

Like so many in Central Pennsylvania, Merrill does have ties to Penn State, as his grandfather and aunt both graduated from University Park. However, because his father was previously in the military, he spent nine years in Germany before moving back to the area in 2017.

“Being in Germany for half of my life, I wouldn’t say that Penn State was always that one team, my team,” Merrill said in an interview back in September. “I wouldn’t say I’m married to just Penn State, but it is certainly a really important school to many in my family. I also have a bunch of friends who pull for them. But the most important thing for me is just finding the school that’s best for me. I’m the kind of person who needs to see everything that’s in front of me before I make a decision.”

In addition to Merrill, the Harrisburg region features three other talented 2026 prospects who already hold a four-star rating by On3. The Nittany Lions earned a commitment from one of those players last summer when Trinity running back Messiah Mickens committed in August. Harrisburg High School prospects Elias Coke and Kevin Brown also earned early four-star ratings. Mickens is set to return to State College this weekend, while Brown is expected to visit on Feb. 3.

Linebacker Colsen Gatten, from Central Catholic in Pittsburgh, and athlete Matt Sieg, from Fort Cherry in McDonald, Pa., are two other fast-rising 2026 prospects who plan to visit Penn State this upcoming Saturday.

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