The Delaware commit is an anchor on the Carmel D-Line. Mercer has a quick first step allowing him to create pressure immediately. His height and IQ allows him to bat multiple balls down at the LOS. He is a major play disruptor with a solid tool bag of moves allowing him to impact almost every play. 

On the offensive side of the ball, Mercer is a wrecking ball, moving opposing players with ease and creating huge gaps for on the LOS for his offense. Despite his ability on the offensive side, he projects better on the defensive side of the ball.

I like Mercer to stand out among the top D-Lineman in the Section and continue to climb up the rankings.

The 6’4″ Carmel prospect holds offers from eight schools in the northeast and is currently committed to Delaware. Mercer can play on both sides of the ball given his frame. 

Mercer has a quick first step allowing him to create pressure immediately. His height and IQ allows him to bat multiple balls down at the LOS. He is a major play disruptor with a solid tool bag of moves allowing him to impact almost every play. 

On the offensive side of the ball, Mercer is a wrecking ball, moving opposing players with ease and creating huge gaps for on the LOS for his offense. Despite his ability on the offensive side, he projects better on the defensive side of the ball.

The 6’4″ Carmel prospect holds offers from eight schools in the northeast and is currently committed to Delaware. Mercer can play on both sides of the ball given his frame.

Mercer has a quick first step allowing him to create pressure immediately. His height and IQ allows him to bat multiple balls down at the LOS. He is a major play disruptor with a solid tool bag of moves allowing him to impact almost every play.

On the offensive side of the ball, Mercer is a wrecking ball, moving opposing players with ease and creating huge gaps for on the LOS for his offense. Despite his ability on the offensive side, he projects better on the defensive side of the ball.

Mercer has the size to grow into an interior defensive lineman or a big defensive end. He has great length and shows impressive athleticism for his size.

He has a lot of tape on both sides of the ball, playing OT and DE, but I feel confident that his future at the next level will be on the defensive side of the ball. Mercer flashes so many great traits like some impressive pass rush moves with a good spin and some good speed-to-power rushes, but his offensive tape is much more violent at the point of attack. He shows that he can shoot gaps with his quick get-off consistently and he is the best DL in NY at batting down passes at the LOS, partly due to his length but his IQ to get his hands up in the right situation helps too.

There is a lot to like with the size, athleticism, and some of the positional skills he shows as a defensive end.

The undisputed top-ranked prospect in attendance regardless of state, to the surprise of nobody, shined the brightest. King-Micah Mercer King-Micah Mercer 6'4" | 265 lbs | DL Carmel | 2026 State NY was certainly the camp king this time out. Mercer showed during competition that he was able to bend the corner low and tight when rushing outside – something that he also demonstrated during indy. Additionally, Mercer showed that he has a great spin moved and his hands generate force and violence due to how fast he can work them.

6022 – 251lbs – 80.5in Wing – 10in Hands – 8’2 Broad Jump

5.1 40-Yard – 4.88 Shuttle – 4.8 L Drill (All Hand Timed)

Mercer came into the camp the highest touted prospect and one of the few who came into camp with offers to his name – Mercer tested well. He would have had stronger shuttle numbers, but he slipped a little on his best attempt.

Overall, the athleticism was evident in the 1v1s and Indy period. Mercer repped both sides of the ball, but his defensive line work was the best, and it is likely where he will end up at the next level anyway. Mercer has a deep bag of pass-rush moves; his spin is his best move, and his quickness and power stand apart. Mercer continues to develop his athleticism. Every time I see him, he is a little bit better.

Mercer, who, along with picking up an offer from Boston College, made the expected decommitment from Long Island University, is not only one of the top-ranked defensive linemen in the 2026 class but offers a really intriguing future with the athleticism he displays on tape and that I have seen in person. One of the more impressive big athletes picks up his first P4 offer.

Mercer is one of the top defensive linemen in the state and one of the top two-way performers in Section I for Carmel. Mercer has picked up a few Division 1 offers over the past year but has committed to Long Island University. Mercer is one of the first commitments in the 2026 class, and it comes as no surprise, considering he is one of the state’s premier prospects.

Mercer is a physical player who uses his hands well, bringing Division 1 level frame and Division 1 level athleticism to the next level. He shows some natural strength, but a college weight room will help him develop that strength to another level.

Mercer picked up an offer from UMass and LIU since the last recruiting report, and the two-way lineman had already held a couple of offers from Wagner and Bryant. His measurables and athleticism are a big reason he is one of the top prospects in New York in the 2026 class,

Mercer is also playing a lot of offensive line, and I do like some of the stuff he has put on film at the position; considering his size, that might be his future at the next level, but early on, Mercer has been one of the more physical interior defensive lineman in Section I. Although ranked high – I think the versatility he has shown this year playing two-way and also being able to play pretty much every position across the defensive line because of his size and athleticism is what stands out. Not only does he do it, but he is doing it at a high level across all positions.