One of the standout offensive linemen who camped at Clemson earlier this week, and left campus with a new offer from the Tigers in tow, is this highly touted Pennsylvanian.
Cumberland Valley High School (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) four-star Tyler Merrill picked up the offer on Wednesday after participating in the Dabo Swinney Camp and working out with offensive line coach Matt Luke.
Merrill, a top-65 national recruit in the 2026 class, spoke with The Clemson Insider about his offer from Swinney’s program.
Luke informed the 6-foot-5, 315-pound rising junior of the offer.
“Coach Luke told me about the offer, and told me Coach Swinney said that he wanted me now,” Merrill said. “It felt awesome knowing such a place with pride and tradition values me and the things I care about.”
Wednesday’s camp visit marked the first trip to Clemson for Merrill, who certainly wasn’t disappointed by his experience in Tiger Town around Swinney, Luke and company.
“I am highly impressed,” he said. “Definitely not what I expected coming into this. I can tell why Coach Swinney is there and why he believes, it’s an awesome place.”
Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) 2026 4-star OL Tyler Merrill during Day 2 of the Dabo Swinney Football Camp, Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Merrill also came away very impressed after spending time and working with Luke, the former Georgia assistant and Ole Miss head coach who is entering his first full season at Clemson in 2024.
“I think he’s an awesome dude,” Merrill said. “He is good at pretty much any table sport you could think of, and has even more knowledge on the field. He’s a longtime coach and it’s crazy to think the amount of people he’s developed and lives he has changed. I didn’t get much feedback from my camp performance, but I obviously did something right leaving with an offer.”
While this was Merrill’s first visit to Clemson, he doesn’t want it to be his last.
“I hope to perhaps make a game in the fall, but if not, definitely take an official visit if I can,” he said, “and really get to know more about Clemson.”
Notre Dame, Georgia and Alabama are among the other high-profile programs that have offered Merrill this spring.
Along with Clemson and the aforementioned schools, his list of more than two dozen offers also includes Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, Pittsburgh, Boston College and Duke, among others.
Where do the Tigers stand with him at this point in his recruitment after this week’s visit and offer?
“I don’t have an organized list for myself and disclosed to everyone,” Merrill said, “but I’d definitely say they left a great impression on me.”
Merrill is the No. 2 prospect in the state of Pennsylvania, No. 4 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 63 overall prospect in the country for the 2026 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.
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