Jalen Merrick - Twitter

[trashcan maN]

Like many, I've been losing a little bit of hope on Merrick over the past couple of days. I'm not sure if it's the dead period, the fresh FSU predictions on 247 or just a bit of little man syndrome at the realization we're going up against an elite program for a kid in their back yard.

BUT...

After glancing over Richard's Tuesday bits and seeing that Jalen is announcing his decision on Twitter and hearing that Jalen had been following some Razorback fans over the past few days, I decided to take a look at exactly who he's following.

I don't follow any recruits and never tweet them, but I glanced through his following list and he is CLEARLY seeking out people with Razorbacks as their profile picture, people with #WPS or Razorback Fan in their profile.

I scrolled through probably 200 of his list of 2000 following and saw no less than 70-80 blatant Razorback pictures and even more folks with Razorback stuff in their profile. I believe these are people he has followed most recently, as they were at the top of the list.

I did not see one Seminole picture or one 'Noles Fan' in any of those profiles.

I think he has been committed since Pittman visited him in home on the 10th and has been stacking hundreds of Hog followers on Twitter in preparation for his big Twitter announcement ever since, and I don't really feel like I'm going out on a limb in saying that.

[JaketheSnake]

I agree with this. He and the coaches already know where e is going, just trying to add some drama to it. Which is fine for him to enjoy te Spotlight a bit longer. 

[IBleedRazorbackRed]

This has barry odom written all over it

[trashcan maN]

After taking a second look, I'm going to say over half of his most recent 200 follows have been Hog fans.

I didn't see any other school represented.

[trashcan maN]

This has barry odom written all over it

LOL it's sad because it's true

[TechHawg]

He followed me out of the blue yesterday. My only twitter activity lately was a retweet of something Razorback related. And I don't follow recruits so it wasn't like I followed him, then he followed me back. I found it very interesting.

[Music City Hog]

Hope so!

[Hogdomer]

He followed me out of the blue yesterday. My only twitter activity lately was a retweet of something Razorback related. And I don't follow recruits so it wasn't like I followed him, then he followed me back. I found it very interesting.

He has followed me too.  I'm wondering if there is a mechanism you can set up to automatically follow anyone who has mentioned you.  If so, it may just mean that more Hog fans are active in trying to sway him.

[Bad News Boar]

Good post. Definately isn't a negative. Not sure we can read into it tooooooo much, but certainly don't feel worse because of it.

Reading back on this post, I realize I basically said nothing. Good Times...

[ar_hog_fan]

Good post. Definately isn't a negative. Not sure we can read into it tooooooo much, but certainly don't feel worse because of it.

Reading back on this post, I realize I basically said nothing. Good Times...

Thanks for the great insight. +1

[ARtillahog]

He has followed me too.  I'm wondering if there is a mechanism you can set up to automatically follow anyone who has mentioned you.  If so, it may just mean that more Hog fans are active in trying to sway him.

I feel left out in the "Jalen Merrick just followed me on twitter" situation.

[trashcan maN]

He has followed me too.  I'm wondering if there is a mechanism you can set up to automatically follow anyone who has mentioned you.  If so, it may just mean that more Hog fans are active in trying to sway him.

There are programs that will auto-follow back etc, but the total lack of FSU and UF follows in the recent past suggests that's not what is happening. They're actively recruiting him on Twitter too.

[Hogdomer]

There are programs that will auto-follow back etc, but the total lack of FSU and UF follows in the recent past suggests that's not what is happening. They're actively recruiting him on Twitter too.

Good to hear. 

[Amityvillehogger]

We can only hope. Reading the mind of an 18 year old kid is something I haven't mastered yet. It changes from day to day. I do like our chances with Pittman on our side on any OL recruit however.

[greenie]

This has barry odom written all over it

Only difference is Barry was waiting on us to make a decision on him.  Here, we're waiting on JM to make a decision. <over analysis  > 

I will say that I do remember a few recruits that actively trolled us for Twitter followers, even when it was obvious that they were not coming...just after the numbers.

All that said, I'm a believer that Merrick is leaning hog.

[Peter Porker]

I looked at his follows and some are fans of other schools.


Edit: jut looked again and he definitely is following a bunch of Hog fans. Gotta like that.

[immahog]

Only difference is Barry was waiting on us to make a decision on him.  Here, we're waiting on JM to make a decision. <over analysis  > 

I will say that I do remember a few recruits that actively trolled us for Twitter followers, even when it was obvious that they were not coming...just after the numbers.

All that said, I'm a believer that Merrick is leaning hog.

yea but those kids did not follow back they would just tweet WPS an ask for followers ....JM is following hog fans before they follow him plus he is making his choice on twitter  where hog fans will be not at some location in florida where those fans will be ... maybe we are reaching but this is a reach I like

[muddhogger]

I looked as well and I would say at least 95% of the people he most recently followed are hog fans. This includes Jeremiah Leddbetter, Mike Conrad (Quality Control Coach), Bobby Alleb, Jim Cheney and Patrick Doherty (graduate assistant) I would say he is a silent commit as well.

[JackJohnson]

not being a tweeter...how does this compare to Solly Thomas' most recent followings before he chose Stanford.   Seems i remember reading threads on him in the days before signing day where he started following a bunch of our coaches/players as well

[Hogberry Snortcake]

I choose to believe this.

[forrest city joe]

I looked as well and I would say at least 95% of the people he most recently followed are hog fans. This includes Jeremiah Leddbetter, Mike Conrad (Quality Control Coach), Bobby Alleb, Jim Cheney and Patrick Doherty (graduate assistant) I would say he is a silent commit as well.

It does not mean much in my opinion. and i have been on twitter for years. i hope you guys are right and he picks the Hogs. but i do not believe who he fallows on twitter will have anything to do with it. it's hard to get kids from Florida that FSU,FL or Miami wants. but we got Collins and Kirkland, so anything can happen. i so hope Merrick picks the Hogs.

[LRHawg]

Anyone know off the top of their head if he's set an announcement time and date?

[trashcan maN]

Only date is before Jan 5 and announcement will be on Twitter

[LRHawg]

Thanks

[Hey Super]

Like many, I've been losing a little bit of hope on Merrick over the past couple of days. I'm not sure if it's the dead period, the fresh FSU predictions on 247 or just a bit of little man syndrome at the realization we're going up against an elite program for a kid in their back yard.

BUT...

After glancing over Richard's Tuesday bits and seeing that Jalen is announcing his decision on Twitter and hearing that Jalen had been following some Razorback fans over the past few days, I decided to take a look at exactly who he's following.

I don't follow any recruits and never tweet them, but I glanced through his following list and he is CLEARLY seeking out people with Razorbacks as their profile picture, people with #WPS or Razorback Fan in their profile.

I scrolled through probably 200 of his list of 2000 following and saw no less than 70-80 blatant Razorback pictures and even more folks with Razorback stuff in their profile. I believe these are people he has followed most recently, as they were at the top of the list.

I did not see one Seminole picture or one 'Noles Fan' in any of those profiles.

I think he has been committed since Pittman visited him in home on the 10th and has been stacking hundreds of Hog followers on Twitter in preparation for his big Twitter announcement ever since, and I don't really feel like I'm going out on a limb in saying that.

You sure know how to raise a hog fans hopes. Hope you're right!!!!  :razorback:

[SPAL]

It does not mean much in my opinion. and i have been on twitter for years. i hope you guys are right and he picks the Hogs. but i do not believe who he fallows on twitter will have anything to do with it. it's hard to get kids from Florida that FSU,FL or Miami wants. but we got Collins and Kirkland, so anything can happen. i so hope Merrick picks the Hogs.

So you are on record as saying we will not land him?  I'm shocked. If you pick against us with every recruit, you will have nly be wrong 25/250. That is pretty good. Keep up the good work.

[Tusks]

As long as FSU doesn't ask his step dad for a refund then I think he picks the hogs.

It does not mean much in my opinion. and i have been on twitter for years. i hope you guys are right and he picks the Hogs. but i do not believe who he fallows on twitter will have anything to do with it. it's hard to get kids from Florida that FSU,FL or Miami wants. but we got Collins and Kirkland, so anything can happen. i so hope Merrick picks the Hogs.

[hawgwild child]

I followed him and never tweeted him and he followed me back as well

[forrest city joe]

So you are on record as saying we will not land him?  I'm shocked. If you pick against us with every recruit, you will have nly be wrong 25/250. That is pretty good. Keep up the good work.

No piss fight here in the recruiting forum. move along.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

not being a tweeter...how does this compare to Solly Thomas' most recent followings before he chose Stanford.   Seems i remember reading threads on him in the days before signing day where he started following a bunch of our coaches/players as well

He got followed by a Richard Sherman.

[greenie]

yea but those kids did not follow back they would just tweet WPS an ask for followers ....JM is following hog fans before they follow him plus he is making his choice on twitter  where hog fans will be not at some location in florida where those fans will be ... maybe we are reaching but this is a reach I like

Agree on all points.  I just did think there was much similarity with what was going with Merrick as compared to what went on with Barry Odom...beyond there being a Twitter element. 

I also believe that Merrick is leaning towards us.

[The real Hogules]

He got followed by a Richard Sherman.

The only Richard Sherman that I know of is a DB for the Seahawks.

[ARtillahog]

The only Richard Sherman that I know of is a DB for the Seahawks.

Exactly, and he attended Stanford.

[trashcan maN]

Florida starting OT DJ Humphries declares for NFL draft. Im sure theyre selling his spot hard.

[forrest city joe]

Florida starting OT DJ Humphries declares for NFL draft. Im sure theyre selling his spot hard.

That's a big selling point for Florida. but remember that we are losing our starting RT.(Brey Cook) so that hob is up for grabs.I think Brian Wallace will win it, but it's open. Jalen could be our swing tackle his first year.

[Uncommon]

We can sell early playing time as well.  Probably not playing time as a true freshman but a good possibility of being able to start by his redshirt freshman, sophomore, or redshirt sophomore season.

I mean this is all we have returning for 2015 as of right now:

3 Redshirt Seniors
68 Austin Beck
59 Marcus Danenhauer
65 Mitch Smothers

1 Senior
73 Sebastian Tretola

2 Juniors
55 Denver Kirkland
76 Dan Skipper

1 Redshirt Sophomore
54 Reeve Koehler

1 Sophomore
72 Frank Ragnow

1 Redshirt Freshman
60 Brian Wallace

3 Freshmen
Josh Allen
Colton Jackson
Zach Rogers

[redeye]

Nice work detective!

I've noticed the same thing and it's one of the reasons I didn't understand all the concern around here.  Ironically, someone even posted that he was mostly following FSU fans now.  After hearing your argument, I agree that he sounds likes a silent commit, but let's allow it to play out, without getting our hopes up too high.

not being a tweeter...how does this compare to Solly Thomas' most recent followings before he chose Stanford.   Seems i remember reading threads on him in the days before signing day where he started following a bunch of our coaches/players as well

The main thing with Thomas was that his girlfriend and/or sister attend Arkansas.  Most of the Arkansas people he followed were friends in real life, IIRC.  In hindsight, he tweeted things suggesting he wasn't coming, but I admit that I thought he was.  For example, I think he responded to a WPS tweet from his girlfriend with an emoticon throwing up or something of that nature.

Also, all the national guys were picking Arkansas at the very end and they're currently picking FSU, which is why some are worried.  I don't see any similarities between them at all.

My guess is that Florida's a bigger concern then FSU, but that's just a guess.

[jjdlc]

Just my humble opinion, but I see this one as a toss up.  I believe Jalen is leaning towards coming here, and his dad wants him at FSU (Why?).  Jalen has played his decision close to his chest, so it's hard to predict who will win out.  Right now, I don't think anyone, not even the recruiting guys on 247 know anything, and I think the new predictions on 247 are simply from people going with best guess, and then a few others following their lead. 

We'll know either way soon.

[The_Boot_stops_here]

just FYI, RD said on Game On today that he felt good about the Hogs chances with Merrick and Haughton....just passing it along

[porkinsons disease]

I think he is a silent commit.Just a guess. That could help explain the Barnett situation also.

[The_Boot_stops_here]

I think he is a silent commit.Just a guess. That could help explain the Barnett situation also.

not sure it has anything to do with Barnett

[Oklahawg]

Weathersby + Merrick help explain Barnett. Not sure that is the entire story. And, we have no need to pollute another thread with the sad tale of Barnett.

[Snowball the Pig]

I'm telling you guys, he and Pitt are like brothers

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[porkinsons disease]

Weathersby + Merrick help explain Barnett. Not sure that is the entire story. And, we have no need to pollute another thread with the sad tale of Barnett.

Agreed. Barnett was very classy through the whole process. My hope/guess is that we got the silent from Merrick and moved on from Barnett.

[The_Boot_stops_here]

Weathersby + Merrick help explain Barnett. Not sure that is the entire story. And, we have no need to pollute another thread with the sad tale of Barnett.

I highly doubt that everyone will just 'move on' in regards to Barnett, at least until after NSD. some will but many won't (including me). Im not sure your expectations are realistic in this case. Its not as simple as 'moving on' with a kid that was as talked about and hyped as Barnett (and not just by message board fans)

[Deep Shoat]

I highly doubt that everyone will just 'move on' in regards to Barnett, at least until after NSD. some will but many won't (including me). Im not sure your expectations are realistic in this case. Its not as simple as 'moving on' with a kid that was as talked about and hyped as Barnett (and not just by message board fans)

It's as simple as this.  We don't need interior linemen.  We got a shot at some really quality Tackle prospects. We told Barnett we weren't going to be able to give him a scholarship.  GG...

[Ray Piggers]

He randomly followed me about 2 weeks ago as well. Fingers crossed

[Scott7703]

Lots of retweeting Florida things recently. Not sure what to think about our chances.

[jry04]

His last 2 retweets in the last 24 hours are Florida recruits talking about joining UF.

[alwaysnextyear]

He's deleted all the recent UA stuff. I've seen this movie before. It doesn't end well.