After a few late twists, wide receiver Tobias Merriweather ultimately signed early with Notre Dame, inking his commitment with the Fighting Irish. Merriweather is a big-time offensive get for the Irish, ranked as the #18 receiver in his class. Notre Dame has been pursuing Merriweather for a long time; they first hosted the Washington product in November 2019. Although that was an unofficial visit, the Irish offered Merriweather a year later. This past June, Merriweather logged an official visit to South Bend. He committed on August 4th.
Tobias Merriweather Brings Speed, Size to South Bend
Tobias Merriweather stands at 6’4 and weighs 185 pounds. His height is optimal, and scouts laud his soft hands and exceptional speed. A high school track athlete, Merriweather’s 100 time is 10.95. That mark sits just a fraction behind the 10.87 mark of current Irish receiver Lorenzo Styles. The biggest concern may be the lean 185 pounds, but the Irish have a tried and true strength and conditioning program. With strength coach Matt Balis staying in South Bend, that program is sure to stay elite, giving Merriweather the chance to add some muscle to his frame. That being said, only freshman Deion Colzie is listed taller than 6’2 in the Irish receiving corps, so Merriweather brings some much-desired height.
Merriweather’s commitment came into question late in the process. Former head coach Brian Kelly was actually visiting Merriweather when the LSU news broke. Merriweather found out mere minutes after Kelly left. However, the Irish provided exceptional damage control. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees reached out almost immediately, and he and new head coach Marcus Freeman visited less than a week later. Merriweather didn’t visit any other programs this fall, and Notre Dame remained the top option despite the chaos. The Irish could potentially lose their top three wide receivers from 2021, so Merriweather could make an immediate impact.
