Jamal Merritt Class: Junior Hometown: Silver Springs, Md. High School: Sherwood HS Height / Weight: 6-0 / 188 Position: Defensive Back Experience: 2L

NEW MEXICO: A versatile athlete whose 2012 season was cut short by a knee injury ... is hard at work rehabbing and is on schedule to be cleared for fall camp ... returned to safety in 2012 after playing on both sides of the line of scrimmage in 2011 ... switched to wide receiver in the second half of 2011 ... playing on both sides gives him experience at reading routes and wide receiver moves, giving him the ability to break to the football quickly ... has natural instincts and good range in the open field as a center-fielder type ... still has a lot of untapped potential that will help him improve as he plays more football during his college career.

2012 (SOPHOMORE): Played in six games with three starts at strong safety ... tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Texas State on Oct. 6 ... finished the season with 17 tackles and two pass breakups on the season ... finished with a career-high seven total tackles (three solo, four assist) and one pass breakup against No. 24 Boise State on Sept. 29 ... started the first game of his career against New Mexico State on Sept. 22 and responded with five tackles (two solo, three assist) ... also broke up the first pass of his career against the Aggies ... recorded three solo tackles at Texas Tech on Sept. 15.

2011 (TRUE FRESHMAN): A reserve safety the first half of the season, Merritt amassed nine tackles with one fumble recovery and one pass breakup ... had a career-high three tackles against Sam Houston State in week four...add two tackles and a fumble recovery against Nevada in week six ... switched to wide receiver due to injuries to the position ... had two catches for 18 yards, including a career-long 14 yarder, in his debut against San Diego State ... finished with three catches for 29 yards.

HIGH SCHOOL:Named a three-star defensive back by Rivals.com with great skills...played at Sherwood High School for head coach Al Thomas ... played in the 2010 Crab Bowl as a cornerback ... chose New Mexico over Ohio, East Carolina and Rutgers ... led his team to a 10-2 record as a senior ... ranked as the 17th best recruit in Maryland ... has great speed and athletic ability ... great ball instincts and is a real hitter in run support ... played as a defensive back and a wide receiver at Sherwood ... has great balance and is explosive with the football in his hands...returns kicks and has a nose for the football ... first Sherwood player to sign a Division I-A NLI since 2009 ... honorable mention all-state in 2010 as a defensive back ... also competed in track.

PERSONAL: Son of Adrian and Richard Merritt ... father played men's basketball at New Mexico during the 1983-84 season.