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 Draft Scout College Football Player News: Merrimack
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  2023 NEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: WR Donovan Wadley, Merrimack, So,...A lethal blend of speed, grit and explosiveness coupled with a keen sense of field awareness made Wadley one of the most versatile and valuable performers in the league this season. He became the first wide receiver to garner the Offensive Player of the Year honor since Saint Francis U's Kamron Lewis in 2016, but simply calling Wadley a wideout does not paint the full picture. Wadley did it all for an explosive Merrimack offense. He shredded defenses to the tune of 26 catches for 471 yards and five touchdowns. The 5-foot-9 Garden State product ranks in the NEC top-10 in receiving yards (8th), touchdowns (t-3rd), yards per catch (18.1, 6th) and yards per game (42.8, 8th).

Drawing parallels to NFL All-Pro Alvin Kamara, Wadley showcased his versatility by rushing for 216 yards and three scores, while also making a significant impact as a return specialist. He currently leads the nation in two special teams categories, and is third in another. He ranks first with three kick returns for touchdowns and an astronomical 37.9 yards per return, while his 645 kickoff return yards, which are the most by a conference player in nearly half a decade, are good for third in the FCS. Three of the longest kickoff returns on the FCS charts this season have Wadley's name inked next to them, as he is the only specialist in the entire nation to have three returns of 90-or-more yards. - Northeast Conference Football


Jr/2026 WR Donovan WadleyMerrimack
News Source: Northeast Conference Football
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  NOV 14 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Jay Thompson, MC (DL, SO),...Thompson came away with a game-and career-high 11 tackles to lead Merrimack to its seventh straight victory at CCSU on Saturday. The sophomore defensive lineman had seven solo stops to go along with 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. - NEC Football

Sr/2025 DE Jay ThompsonMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  Gavin McCusker threw three touchdown passes to Pat Conroy and Merrimack beat Central Connecticut 20-14 on Saturday for its seventh straight win. Merrimack (8-2, 6-0) will host St. Francis (PA), which is also 6-0 in the Northeast Conference, for the conference title next Saturday. Nasir Smith ran for a 1-yard touchdown that capped a 17-play, 82-yard opening drive. Smith finished with 148 yards rushing and is the 16th player at Central Connecticut to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

The senior finished with 1,001 yards. Maurice Nelson returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to give Merrimack the ball on the CCSU 18-yard line. McCusker found Conroy in the end zone six plays later for a 10-yard score. McCusker and Conroy connected twice more in the fourth quarter. Kyle Zajack scored on a 1-yard run for the Blue Devils with 20 seconds left, but Merrimack recovered the ensuing onside kick. Central Connecticut (1-9, 1-5) will look to end a two-game skid in its season finale against Stonehill. - Merrimack/AP College Football


rJr/2026 QB Gavin McCuskerMerrimack
News Source: Merrimack/AP College Football
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  OCT 31 NEC CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Donte Williams, Merrimack, Linebacker, So., 5-10, 205 lbs., New Rochelle, NY/Trinity Pawling, Week 9 Stats: 9 tackles (6 solo), 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 BrUp,...Williams anchored a Merrimack defense that held the then top-scoring team in the NEC to just 10 points, including a scoreless second half, on Saturday. The sophomore linebacker recorded nine tackles - including six solo - and had 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks to lead the Warriors past Stonehill, 17-10, for their sixth straight victory. In addition, Williams, a New Rochelle, NY native, added a pass breakup and a key interception in the end zone that sealed the win on a 4th and 10 on Merrimack's 27-yard line. This is Williams' first-ever weekly award from the NEC. - NEC Football

Sr/2025 OLB Donte WilliamsMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  OCT 31 NEC FOOTBALL PRIME PERFORMER: Donte Williams, MC (LB., So.),...Williams racked up nine tackles (6 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks to lead a Merrimack defense that held the NEC's top-scoring team to just 10 points. The sophomore linebacker added one interception and a pass breakup for the Warriors, who improved to 5-0 in the NEC with a 17-10 win at Stonehill on Saturday. Williams was also named the NEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week. - NEC Football

Sr/2025 OLB Donte WilliamsMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  OCT 24 NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Gavin McCusker, Merrimack, Quarterback, R-Fr., 6-2, 185 lbs., Exeter Township, PA/Exeter Township, Week 8 Stats: 124 pass yards, 10-16, 62.5 pass completion percentage, 1 TD pass, 0 INT, 12 rushes, 55 rush yards, TD rush, 4.6 ypc,...McCusker led Merrimack past NEC preseason favorite Sacred Heart in a battle of two unbeaten NEC squads on Saturday. The redshirt-freshman signal caller compiled 179 all-purpose yards - including 124 in the air and 55 on the ground - to lead the Warriors to their fifth straight win and the program's first-ever 4-0 start in NEC play since joining the league in 2019. After a 28-yard run from Victor Dawson put Merrimack on the scoreboard in the first, McCusker doubled the Warriors' lead to 14-0 when he linked up with Pat Conroy for a 20-yard pass with 12:18 left in the second quarter. He then went on to give Merrimack a lead it would not relinquish in the third quarter with his first career touchdown rush, a 2-yard carry with 15 seconds left. This is McCusker's second NEC Rookie of the Week award this season. - NEC Football

rJr/2026 QB Gavin McCuskerMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  OCT 24 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Gavin McCusker, MC (QB, R-Fr.),...McCuster racked up 179 total yards to lead Merrimack to its fifth-straight victory and a 4-0 start in NEC play with a 31-25 defeat of preseason favorite Sacred Heart. Completing 10-of-16 of his passes while throwing for 124 yards and one touchdown, the redshirt-freshman registered 55 yards on the ground with a 2-yard touchdown run on 12 carries. McCusker was also named the NEC Rookie of the Week. - NEC Football

rJr/2026 QB Gavin McCuskerMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  Gavin McCusker threw for a touchdown and got decisive score on the ground, leading Merrimack to a 31-25 victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday. McCusker, who threw for 124 yards, including a 20-yard TD pass to Pat Conroy, scored on a 2-yard run with 15 seconds left in the third quarter. Midway through the fourth quarter the Warriors' Jared Dunn blocked a Sacred Heart punt and Lliam Davis capped the scoring with a 37-yard field goal. Trailing 31-25, Sacred Heart had two remaining possessions. Sam Renzi missed a 27-yard field goal with 5:22 remaining and later time ran out with the Pioneers at the Merrimack 27-yard line. Shayne Butler's 42-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Warriors (6-2, 4-0 Northeast Conference) a 21-6 lead early in the third quarter. Highlighted by a safety and a 68-yard touchdown pass from Marquez McCray to Kenneth Womack, Sacred Heart (4-3, 2-1) scored the next 19 points to take a 25-21 lead. Marquez completed 20 of 37 passes for 315 yards with a touchdown and interception. Grant Malik rushed for 97 yards and Rob DiNota had 120 receiving yards for the Pioneers, who had a 464-298 advantage in total yards. - AP College Football

rJr/2026 QB Gavin McCuskerMerrimack
News Source: AP College Football
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  OCT 17 NEC CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Victor Dawson, Merrimack, Running Back, R-Fr., 6-0, 225, Akron, OH/Archbishop Hoban, Week 6 Stats: 124 rush yards, 22 rushes, 5.6 ypc, 2 TD rushes,...Dawson takes home NEC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time in as many weeks. The redshirt-freshman running back ran for 128 yards and had four touchdown rushes on 19 carries for Merrimack, which won its fourth-straight game and improved to 3-0 in NEC play with a 54-17 win over Wagner. Dawson, who nearly doubled his five league-best rushing touchdowns in one game alone, is tied for eighth in the FCS in the category with nine this season. In addition, the four rushing touchdowns are the most by a NEC player in a game this season. - NEC Football

rSo/2026 RB Victor DawsonMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  OCT 17 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Garry Rosemond, Jr., MC (DB, So.),...Rosemond paced a defense that held Wagner to just one field goal in the second half with six solo tackles, four of which came after the halftime break. The sophomore defensive back recorded 1.0 tackle for loss and came away with a forced fumble. - NEC Football

rJr/2026 CB Garry Rosemond Jr.Merrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  OCT 17 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Victor Dawson, MC (RB, R-Fr.),...Dawson was also named the NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week after he rushed for 128 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries against Wagner. The redshirt-freshman running back's four rushing touchdowns are the most for a NEC player in a game this season. - NEC Football

rSo/2026 RB Victor DawsonMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  Victor Dawson ran for four scores, Tyvon Edmonds Jr. added two more and Merrimack cashed in with six second-half touchdowns in beating winless Wagner 54-17 on Saturday. Wagner led 14-12 at halftime but the Warriors (5-2, 3-0 Northeast Conference) scored 21 points in each of the final two quarters to win their fourth straight game. Merrimack scored on six of their seven second-half drives. Dawson had three short runs for touchdowns plus a 34-yarder. He finished with 128 yards on 19 carries. Edmonds also had 19 carries for 140 yards and two short TDs runs. Merrimack finished with 309 yards rushing and Gavin McCusker threw for 181 yards and a score. Three Seahawks (0-6, 0-2) combined to go 21-of-30 passing for 229 yards. - AP College Football

rSo/2026 RB Victor DawsonMerrimack
News Source: AP College Football
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  OCT 3 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Rodney Samson, MC (LB, Gr.),...Samson racked up 11 tackles - all solo - including 1.0 tackle for loss to help lead Merrimack to a league-opening win against LIU. The graduate linebacker added a pair of fumble recoveries, including a game-clinching third-down stop at the Warriors' own 42-yard line. - NEC Football

rSr/2023 ILB Rodney SamsonMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  OCT 3 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Victor Dawson, MC (RB, R-Fr.),...Dawson ran it home from four yards out to tie up the game before teammate Lliam Davis knocked down the extra point to lead Merrimack to a come-from-behind 24-23 league win over LIU on Saturday. The redshirt-freshman running back racked up 110 rushing yards on a game-best 22 carries. - NEC Football

rSo/2026 RB Victor DawsonMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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  SEP 19 NEC CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jack Zergiotis, Merrimack, QB, So., 6-2, 225, Montreal, Quebec/John Abbott College/UConn,...Week 3 Stats: 294 pass yards, 56.1 pass completion pct., 0 INT, 3 TD passes,...Zergiotis takes home NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors after he threw for 294 passing yards and three touchdowns in Merrimack's 28-21 overtime defeat to Harvard. The Montreal, Quebec native and UConn transfer put the Warriors on the board in the first quarter with a five-yard toss to classmate Jacari Carter. Late in the third quarter, he connected with Carter once again with a season-long 76-yard throw before putting Merrimack up by 14 early in the fourth with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Fisher. Zergiotis' 294 yards in the air and three passing touchdowns are the most by a NEC quarterback in a game this season. - NEC Football

rJr/2025 QB Jack ZergiotisMerrimack
News Source: NEC Football
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