Alabama better buckle up for this competition. 4-star EDGE Dawson Meritt entered the scene as the No. 14 LB and No. 115 overall player in the nation in the 2025 recruiting class. Aside from being known as the son of Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Dave Merritt, he set his own legacy recording 83 tackles, seven sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 2023. So it was a huge win when Alabama won his commitment in June. But is Kalen DeBoer in danger of a commitment flip?

Let’s hear it from Steve Wiltfong who joined Josh Newberg in a new YouTube episode on On3 Recruits on October 29. Nebraska has been strongly recruiting Dawson Meritt despite his commitment to Alabama. According to Wiltfong, the chance to flip isn’t impossible. He said, “Look, there’s a lot of love for Alabama but Nebraska is in this one to the end. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s one of the guys we’re talking about as a big Nebraska flip at the end of the cycle.”

As Wiltfong pointed out, Dawson Meritt has “regular conversation with Matt Rhule and his staff.” Coach Rhule and the father of the Blue Valley HS player also share a relationship which could be a factor for an edge over Alabama. Besides, Nebraska showed Merritt what it’s like to be part of that program when he visited them in Week 2, the latest of his three visits since the spring game. 

Dawson Merritt was present at the Nebraska vs Colorado game on September 8 when the Huskers dominated the Buffs 28-10. After the game, a clearly impressed Merrit said, “The visit was amazing man. Great game to go to. I never have experienced something like that. It definitely exceeded my expectations.” Like QB Dylan Raiola, the impressive fan base also captured his attention. He said, “The fans stand out against any school.” Besides, the 6’3, 215-pounder said he’s “pretty close” with the freshman QB, Mike Terry, and more. So it would be a huge win for Nebraska’s 2025 class.

Nebraska and Alabama 2025 recruiting status 

Nebraska currently ranks 24th with 20 commits in their 2025 recruiting class, according to On3. They already have the commitment of great defensive 4-star players like Christian Jones and Malcolm Simpson but another 4-star addition would be very welcome. Right now, they have five 4-star commits and 15 3-star commits. 

With Matt Rhule taking the extra mile visiting Merit in his recent game, Alabama best understands the competitiveness of this pursuit. Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson ranks No. 1 in the 2025 recruiting cycle with 23 commits. So how does the No. 1 recruitment list look like? Five 5-star players, 13 4-star players, and five 3-star players. With these assets, can Alabama still retain the interest of Merritt or would we see a flip in the near future?