Aaron Merz

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{{Infobox NFL biography

| image = Aaron Merz (148441) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Merz at Camp As Sayliyah in 2009

| name = Aaron Merz

| position = Guard / Center

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|8|27}}

| birth_place = Bakersfield, California, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lbs = 325

| number = 62

| high_school = Wasco (CA)

| college = California

| draftyear = 2006

| draftround = 7

| draftpick = 248

| pastteams =

Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2006|2007}})

|highlights =

Second-team All-Pac-10 (2005)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 7

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 1

| pfr = MerzAa20

}}

Aaron Andrew Merz (born August 27, 1983) is an American former professional football offensive lineman. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2006 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2006/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He played college football at California.

Early life

Merz attended Wasco High School in Wasco, California and was a letterman in football, basketball, and golf. In football, he won All-League honors as both an offensive lineman and as a defensive lineman.

College career

He played college football at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a B.A. in sociology in 2005. Merz joined the team as a walk-on in 2001 and was given a scholarship as reward for his elevated role with the team following the 2003 season.

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 3 1/2

| weight = 326

| dash = 5.60

| shuttle = 4.96

| cone drill = 7.65

| vertical = 26.5

| broad ft = 7

| broad in = 7

| bench = 16

| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=15200&DraftYear=2006 |title=Aaron Merz College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=January 10, 2025}}

}}

Prior to the 2006 NFL draft, Merz scored 39/50 on the NFL Scouting Combine's standard Wonderlic Test. After being released by Buffalo in 2008, Merz enlisted with the U.S. Peace Corps. He served as a volunteer in Zambia from February 2009 to February 2010 before being forced to return to America for medical purposes. Aaron has since returned to Zambia with his wife to operate the NGO she founded, IIM International which is dedicated to providing improved educational access to orphans and vulnerable children.{{Cite web |url=https://nflpa.com/news/all-news/former-player-aaron-merz-has-dedicated-life-after-football-to-international-aid |title=NFL Players Association - Former Player Aaron Merz Dedicates Life After Football to International Aid |access-date=2015-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528114048/https://www.nflpa.com/news/all-news/former-player-aaron-merz-has-dedicated-life-after-football-to-international-aid |archive-date=2017-05-28 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.iiminternational.com/ |title=Home |website=www.iiminternational.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403203541/http://www.iiminternational.com/ |archive-date=2014-04-03}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20060619120729/http://www.buffalobills.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=122676 Buffalo Bills bio]

Category:1983 births

Category:Living people

Category:Players of American football from Bakersfield, California

Category:American football offensive guards

Category:California Golden Bears football players

Category:Buffalo Bills players

Category:People from Wasco, California

Category:Players of American football from Kern County, California