4-star LB Dawson Merritt: “It will be Alabama or Nebraska”

A few weeks ago, Dawson Merritt was focused on Alabama, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. After an unofficial visit back to Tuscaloosa and an official visit to Lincoln, the Tigers and Sooners have been eliminated and the four-star linebacker out of Blue Valley (Kan.) is down to two schools.

“It will be Alabama or Nebraska,” Merritt told On3. “I have canceled my official visits to Missouri and Oklahoma and I have scheduled an official visit to Alabama on June 7. I will come back, take some time to think about things and I should be ready to commit sometime in June.”

Nebraska has now has Merritt on campus three times. After the official visit to Tuscaloosa, he will have visited Alabama three times as well. This is a tight race heading into the final visit.

“Alabama and Nebraska are two totally different programs in my eyes. That is why it is so hard to choose one school. When I go take my official visit to Alabama, I want to take a deeper evaluation into everything there and just compare it all to my official visit to Nebraska.

“After the official visit, it will just come down to where I see the better fit at. When I figure that out, I will commit.”

Nebraska made a strong impression on Merritt on his official visit

Merritt first visited Nebraska for a game last fall. He visited Lincoln twice this year and the Cornhuskers are a strong contender late.

The official visit made had a strong impact on the No. 89 prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking.

“The feeling I get from the Nebraska coaching staff is something that is special,” Merritt said. “From Coach Matt Rhule and the entire staff, regardless if it is offensive or defensive coaches, it is a great feeling with them.

“Then on the visit, I got to be around the players too. They are great people there. Dylan Raiola was my host and we got along great and we talked about how Nebraska is all football there and how there are no distractions.

“Overall on the visit, I got a great feel for the campus and the people. The coaches were awesome, the people were great and I know they have a great plan for me. They want me to play WILL linebacker in their scheme and be someone that comes off the edge, plays in space and someone that does a lot in their scheme.

“The biggest thing is their plan for me and my connection with the staff at Nebraska. I felt good when I left the visit. The fans really love their players and Nebraska football and I was loving the environment there.”

The connection at Alabama puts the Crimson Tide in a good position

Alabama got Merritt on campus twice this spring. The staff has already shown him a lot. There are no real questions he has for Kalen DeBoer or his coaches on the official visit. Alabama is Alabama, and on top of that, the relationship he has with Christian Robinson has the Crimson Tide in his final two.

“The proof is in the pudding with Alabama,” Merritt said. “Nebraska is building their program up, but Alabama is already there with that winning culture. They are winning more recently, so that is big for me with Alabama.

“Then my connection with Coach Robinson is unlike any other relationship I have with a coach. We are so alike. We can relate in so many ways. I feel we would work very well together and that is big for me. We are almost the same person, so my relationship with Coach Robinson is just different.

“I will go on my third visit to Alabam, level the playing field out on visits and just see how I feel coming out of it. I know I like both schools a lot.”

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