University of South Alabama Athletics

Preseason Highlights: Selected preseason fourth-team all-Sun Belt Conference by Phil Steele Publications.

As A Junior (2020): Saw action in seven games — including each of the Jaguars’ last six outings — while making the start five times ... Graded out at 76 percent overall and 80 percent on assignments, and was credited with 33 pancake blocks ... Posted season-best marks of 87 percent overall and 90 percent on assignments in win at Arkansas State ... Recorded a season-high nine knockdowns the previous week against Georgia State, receiving an 82 percent overall grade and 87 percent assignment mark following the contest ... Also credited with an 82 percent overall grade while earning an 84 percent assignment grade at Georgia Southern ... Earned marks of 80 percent overall and 84 percent on assignments in season-ending “Battle For The Belt” against rival Troy, finishing the day with four knockdown blocks ... Credited with six pancakes in consecutive outings at 15th-ranked Coastal Carolina and No. 25 Louisiana ... Named to the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List.

As A Sophomore (2019): Appeared in 11 of the team’s 12 contests, starting on 10 occasions ... Led South with 68 knockdown blocks while earning an 86 percent assignment grade for the season ... Posted an overall mark of 80 percent or higher in each of the last five games ... Credited with a season-best 91 percent grade — earning marks of 92 percent on assignments and 90 percent for technique — to go along with 10 pancakes against eventual Sun Belt Conference West Division winner Louisiana ... Graded out at 86 percent overall and 97 percent on assignments while recording a season-high-tying 12 knockdowns — earning coaches’ award in the latter category — following win over Arkansas State to wrap up the campaign ... Received an 86 percent overall grade and 94 percent assignment grade for his efforts at Texas State, which included five pancake blocks ... Earned marks of 85 percent overall and 87 percent on assignments while posting five knockdowns in road finale at Georgia State ... Recorded 80 percent overall grade and 90 percent assignment grade with five pancakes against 21st-ranked Appalachian State ... Credited with 12 knockdown blocks and an 81 percent assignment mark at ULM in Sun Belt opener ... Also finished with six pancake blocks against Memphis.

As A Redshirt Freshman (2018): One of three Jaguars to start all 12 games on the offensive line, and the only newcomer to do so ... Received a season grade of 70 percent with an 84 percent assignment mark ... Finished second on the team with 39 knockdown blocks ... Earned an overall grade of 70 percent or better seven times and an assignment grade at or above 80 percent on 11 occasions ... Had season-high marks of 79 percent overall and 94 percent on assignments in Texas State victory ... Nine pancake blocks in the season opener against Louisiana Tech were the most by a Jaguar all season ... Graded out at 72 percent overall with an 88 percent assignment mark and three knockdowns in season-ending win over Coastal Carolina ... Finished with an 87 percent assignment grade and three knockdown blocks at Memphis ... Received an 85 percent assignment grade in Alabama State win, and against both Oklahoma State and ULM ... Led South with eight pancake blocks against Troy in the “Battle For The Belt,” ending the night with a 71 percent overall mark and an 83 percent assignment grade ... Credited with five knockdowns and an 81 percent assignment grade at Louisiana ... Earned overall grades above 70 percent and recorded assignment marks over 80 percent in back-to-back road trips to Appalachian State and Georgia Southern.

As A Freshman (2017): Was redshirted his first year with the program.

High School Highlights: Earned two stars from Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com ... Rated among the top 75 recruits in Alabama by Scout.com and the top 100 in the state by 247Sports.com ... Was a three-year letterwinner at Fairhope High ... Helped the Pirates go 11-1 and advance to the second round of the state 7A playoffs his first year on the varsity ... FHS went 8-0 in winning the region championship that fall ... Also part of a Pirate squad that finished with a winning record when he was a junior.

Personal: Full name is Hadon Alex Merchant ... Born Dec. 11, 1998, in Fairhope, Ala. ... Son of Paul and Sabine Merchant ... Favorite teams are the Atlanta Braves and Dallas Cowboys ... Favorite athletes are LeBron James, Kevin Love and Freddie Freeman ... Favorite foods are steak and pizza ... Enjoys playing golf and fishing in his free time ... Recruited by Navy, Troy, Georgia State, Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee and Alabama-Birmingham as well ... Earned an interdisciplinary studies undergraduate degree in May 2021 and is now working on a sports management master’s degree.