Kirk Merritt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kirk Merritt

No. 22 – Houston Roughnecks
Position:	Running back Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1997-01-05) January 5, 1997 (age 28) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	214 lb (97 kg)
Career information
High school:	Destrehan (Destrehan, Louisiana)
College:	Oregon (2015) Texas A&M (2016) East Mississippi CC (2017) Arkansas State (2018–2019)
Undrafted:	2020
Career history
Miami Dolphins (2020–2021) New Orleans Saints (2022–2023) Houston Roughnecks (2024–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Sun Belt (2018, 2019)
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Receptions: 1 Receiving yards: 13 Receiving touchdowns: 0
Player stats at PFR

Kirk Merritt, born on January 5, 1997, is an American professional football player. He plays as a running back and wide receiver. Currently, he is with the Houston Roughnecks in the UFL. Before turning pro, he played college football for Arkansas State.

Early Life and High School Football

Kirk Merritt grew up in Destrehan, Louisiana. He went to Destrehan High School. During his senior year, he showed great skill on the field. He gained over 1,000 yards by both running and catching the ball. He also scored 11 touchdowns. Merritt was considered a top player, known as a four-star recruit. He decided to play college football at the University of Oregon. He chose Oregon over other big schools like Alabama and Texas A&M.

College Football Journey

Kirk Merritt started his college career at the University of Oregon. As a freshman, he played in 12 games for the Ducks. He caught five passes for 61 yards. He also ran the ball three times for 13 yards. After his first year, Merritt left the Oregon program.

He then transferred to Texas A&M. Due to NCAA rules, he could not play during the 2016 season. After his time at Texas A&M, Merritt transferred again. He moved to East Mississippi Community College. In his one season there, he was a key player. He caught 52 passes for 628 yards. He also scored four touchdowns. After this, he decided to transfer to Arkansas State University. This was for his final two years of college eligibility.

Merritt quickly became a starter for the Red Wolves. In 2018, he was named first-team All-Sun Belt Conference. He led the conference with 83 catches and 1,005 receiving yards. He also scored seven touchdowns that year. He earned the first-team All-Sun Belt honor again in 2019. In his senior year, he had 70 catches for 806 yards. He scored 12 touchdowns, showing his strong performance.

Professional Football Career

After college, Kirk Merritt joined the professional ranks.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins signed Merritt in 2020. He joined as an undrafted free agent. This means he was not chosen in the main draft but was signed afterward. He was part of the team's practice squad. He was called up to the main roster for a few games. This allowed him to play in official NFL games. He signed a future contract with the Dolphins in January 2021. He later rejoined their practice squad in August 2021.

New Orleans Saints

In January 2022, Merritt signed with the New Orleans Saints. He was initially on their practice squad. He was later moved to the active roster in December. This gave him more opportunities to play. In September 2023, he was waived by the Saints. He then rejoined their practice squad briefly.

Houston Roughnecks

On January 26, 2024, Kirk Merritt signed with the Houston Roughnecks. This team is part of the UFL. He joined them as a running back. He was placed on injured reserve in April but was activated in May. He re-signed with the team in August, continuing his professional journey.