UDFA Rookie WR Kirk Merritt Makes Trip to Arizona - Could be Sunday Factor for Dolphins

By: Hussam Patel

With the Trade of Isaiah Ford and Lynn Bowden Jr. on the COVID-19 list, UDFA pickup Kirk Merritt is active and traveling with the Miami Dolphins and suiting up in his first NFL game.
 
Hailing from Arkansas State, Kirk Merritt is one of the 10 UDFA’s the Miami Dolphins picked up in the Draft Process. Originally a 4-star recruit and signed with Oregon as a RB, Merritt would be the on the short end of the Dolphins depth chart. Merritt will be behind DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Jakeem Grant, Malcolm Perry and Mack Hollins.
 
While Merritt has off-the field issues he was put on the spotlight on the Netflix Series “Last Chance U”. Brian Flores and Co. are taking a chance on Merritt and he has been quiet and having good practices throughout the off-season.
 
Many Dolphins Fans have heard little about Kirk Merritt, but he was spectacular in college, very athletic and could be an offensive weapon that can line up anywhere.

With his athleticism, Merritt is able to pull away from defenders and use his radius to catch contested balls on the sidelines and over the top against defenders. He is very shifty in space and a viable candidate to be used on trick-plays such as end-arounds and bubble screens.  his athletic attributes, he excels at pulling away after the catch and can easily make leaping grabs over defenders, as seen below.
 
His Unofficial Pro day numbers were unreal:
 

• 4.33 in the 40-yard dash
• 4.02 in the 20-yard shuttle
• 45.5-inch vertical jump
• 23 bench press reps
• 11’3” broad jump

Kirk Merritt’s Pro Day Numbers which were timed by Josh Cox a Former NFL scout

Bench: 23
40: 4.33
Shuttle: 4.05
3 cone: 7.12
Broad: 11’3
Vert: 45.5

— NFL Draft Diamonds (@DraftDiamonds) April 4, 2020

Arkansas State wide receiver Kirk Merritt ran a 4.33 40-yard dash today. pic.twitter.com/T0q7AC9UkF

— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) April 5, 2020

Per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Merritt is versatile and athletic, but needs to work on explosiveness and his route running skills to impose his body against NFL defenders. At 6’0 and 215 LBS, this gives the dolphins another threat to stretch the field on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

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