EAST LANSING, Mich—MSU head coach Mel Tucker and co. picked up another commitment for the 2022 class on Monday night, landing offensive tackle Jake Merritt as a preferred walk-on. Merritt is the third PWO commit for the Spartans in the last week, previously landing Florida punter Ryan Eckley and Flint offensive tackle Devin Runnels. 

Go Green!@MSU_Football #ItTakesWhatItTakes pic.twitter.com/0PJQwdP1FI

— Jake Merritt (@JakeMerritt64) December 7, 2021

Merritt, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive lineman from Northville, Michigan, announced on Twitter that he was accepting a preferred walk-on position. Merritt had offers from schools like Brown, Dayton, Lawrence Tech, Marshall and Northern Michigan, but decided to instead walk on at Michigan State. He was offered by Spartans’ offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic on Oct. 11, 2021 after visiting MSU on Sept. 25. 

247Sports rated Merritt as a composite two-star recruit that is the No. 81 overall recruit in the state of Michigan. He was also offered a preferred walk-on spot by Michigan on Oct. 11, 2021. 

Merritt will be part of a 2022 Spartan recruiting class that currently ranks No. 18 in the country that includes 20 scholarship players and two other walk-ons. 

This commitment is important for a Spartan team that is going to have to replace at least four linemen and as many as six. Among three of those linemen, AJ Arcuri, Matt Allen, and Luke Campbell have combined for 79 starts over the last five years. Redshirt senior offensive tackle Kevin Jarvis and guard Blake Bueter could alllso decide to move on at the conclusion of this season.

With a couple of starting offensive line spots potentially opening up, MSU will likely hold an open competition to fill them, and Merritt could have a shot to offer key depth at several positions.