Safety Timothy Merritt commits to Tennessee

Birmingham (Ala.) Parker three-star safety Timothy Merritt has been “heavily” recruited by Tennessee since his junior year. Even when he chose Miami on June 9, the Volunteers continued their pursuit of the 6-foot-1, 175-pound defensive back. 

Tennessee’s coaching staff gave “love and good vibes” to Merritt and made sure to let him know that they would not stop recruiting him until he committed to the Volunteers. That has now happened, as Merritt has announced his pledge to head coach Josh Heupel and his staff.

“They show love to me and all of my family,” Merritt told On3. “Family is a big part of why I do this. Their defensive game plan fits my playing style and I feel like I can make many big plays in it. To me, it’s all about trust. They told me to trust them that this was the best move and I trusted them. I know they would not lead me wrong. The fan base there is very supportive. They were always texting me and telling me that this is the place to be.”

Merritt believes that he made “the best move” for him by choosing the SEC program. The No. 25 player in Alabama has visited Knoxville more than five times and was on campus for Tennessee’s win over Alabama on Oct. 19.   

“The atmosphere is loud and very intense there,” said Merritt, the No. 579 overall prospect and No. 49 safety in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. “When they played Alabama and they were down, their fans never lost hope. That was big for me.”