Jacksonville State University Athletics

JSU CAREER
2014: Played in all 12 games for the Gamecocks as a junior, earning the start at wide out nine times…tied for second on the team with 25 catches and was third with 324 receiving yards…caught four touchdown passes, tied for the most on the squad…averaged 13 yards per catch and 27 yards per game, both third on the team…hauled in the longest play from scrimmage  against West Alabama on Sept. 20, an 88-yard touchdown pass from Eli Jenkins  for the Gamecocks’ first score…TD catch started a three-game streak where he caught at least one touchdown pass…hauled in a 30-yard Jenkins pass for a score one week later at Murray State and a 26-yard toss from Jenkins the next week vs. UT Martin…caught four passes in a game three times and had at least one catch in 11 of the Gamecocks’ 12 games…had four catches of at least 20 yards.

2013: Started the first seven games at wide receiver for the Gamecocks as a sophomore before suffering a season-ending injury against Tennessee State on Oct. 12…was the team’s fourth-leading receiver with 24 catches for 363 yards and tied for second on the team with two receiving touchdowns despite missing over half of the season…caught his first collegiate pass in the season opener at Alabama State on Aug. 31, a game that saw him haul in three catches for 18 yards…caught his first touchdown pass on Sept. 14 against North Alabama, a 53-yard halfback pass from Troymaine Pope on JSU’s first play from scrimmage…had a season-high 83 receiving yards before leaving the TSU game, and was injured on a 76-yard toss from Eli Jenkins, the Gamecocks’ longest pass play of the season…caught at least one pass in all seven games he played, including a season-high seven for 67 yards and a touchdown at UT Martin on Oct. 5…his touchdown catch at UTM was a nine-yard pass from Max Shortell…had six catches for 78 yards on Sept. 28 vs. Murray State…returned three punts for 25 yards.

2012: Missed the season after suffering a knee injury in the preseason.

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at St. Augustine High School under the guidance of head coach Joey Wiles…earned all-county status after finishing with 1,109 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as a senior…tallied three touchdowns in one quarter alone in a week two contest with Bartram Tail…finished with 224 yards in the contest…named 3A all-state Honorable Mention…was a high school teammate of former JSU quarterback Kyle West.

PERSONAL: Full name is Markis Da’Ron Merrill…son of L’Ketchie Merrill…has one sister, Rockell, and two brothers, Blaine and Dontrell…born on May 10, 1991, in St. Augustine, Fla…majoring in business management at JSU.