Caleb Merritt is an athlete in the class of 2022 for John Borroughs High School in Saint Louis, Missouri. Merritt stands in at 6’0 and 175 lbs., this build allows him to excel anywhere in an offense. This is shown in his play as he not only pounds the rock at running back, but also slices through defenses at wide receiver. At either position, his speed and agility are what defenses fear the most, as he ran a 4.5 40-yard dash. Although he shows off his exceptional athleticism in game, he credits his success to his football IQ. His intelligence isn’t just on the football field though, he also does great in the classroom with a 3.76 GPA. With this combination of skill and smarts, Caleb Merritt should be an exciting player to watch in the future.
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When did you start playing football and what got you into it? I started when I was 6 or 7 years old, I watched the NFL with my dad and started loving the sport.
Favorite moment of your career so far? My favorite moment is to come in the future.
What current or past player do you think you play like the most? Antonio Brown and Odell, both of them are super elusive and win routes outsmarting the CB rather than just outrunning them.
Do you play any sports outside of football, and what do you think you adds to your game? Track, it teaches you how to be an individual and work on yourself rather than in other sports.
Do you have any pregame rituals? Wake up at 8:30, eat some pancakes, and take some pre workout before games.
Going into this season, what are you looking forward to? Leading the team, I have gotten to do that in the past but now I’m excited to hopefully be a captain and do great this season.
Do you have a quote or anything that pushes you daily? “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you are probably on the menu.”
What do you think a college would get out of you as a player? Leadership, I always push others to get better whether that is working out or helping with things outside of football. I’m a very smart player, I like how football is like a chess match, I love watching the defense and seeing what they are doing before the play.
What motivates you to get up and train everyday? Knowing that there are other kids that will take my spot if I don’t, there will always be people hungry for my spot.
What do you think makes you a good leader? I motivate others and help them stay on the right path; I help the team get better as a whole rather than staying as individuals.
Who has pushed you most in your football journey? God, he gives me the strength to do everything I do.
What do you think sets you apart from other athletes? I’m a nerd, I like playing chess and doing Rubik’s cubes, I have hobbies outside of football, I love learning to do new things and keep improving myself daily.
What do you think the best part of your game is? I am a lot bigger and stronger than most DBs, this helps with blocking a lot, I can block most DBs and a lot of linebackers on the field.
Would you consider yourself a speed, physical, or route running specialist? I won’t put a label on myself cause then I would be limiting myself, I want to be balanced, if I were to answer though it would be route running.
Do you like playing inside or outside? I like the outside more because there is more space to run, you have more time to analyze the defense, it all depends on the game plan though.
Favorite route? The fade, it’s the most exciting route in football.
Favorite skill move? Juking, I don’t normally do that though, I normally just try to run past people.
Best catch you have ever made? There was one at Elite Football, I made this one hand catch on a post route and after the play everyone there went crazy and it got all over Instagram.
Favorite part of playing receiver? I like playing receiver because there is so much you can control, although the QB is making the choice, I like manipulating the defense and I make the choice whether I’m open or not.
