▁and ▁one ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁half . ▁ ▁M err iman ▁started ▁three ▁years ▁on ▁both ▁the ▁vars ity ▁football ▁and ▁basketball ▁teams . ▁On ▁the ▁hard wood , ▁M err iman ▁was ▁named ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁five ▁basketball ▁def enders ▁in ▁the ▁D . C . ▁area ▁by ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post . ▁For ▁his ▁football ▁performance ▁during ▁his ▁senior ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁team ▁all - state ▁and ▁named ▁Maryland ▁Def ensive ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁by ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Press . ▁He ▁also ▁played ▁some ▁tight ▁end ▁in ▁high ▁school . ▁ ▁College ▁career ▁ ▁Despite ▁being ▁heavily ▁rec ru ited , ▁M err iman ▁stayed ▁in - state ▁for ▁college ▁and ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Maryland , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁Maryland ▁Ter rap ins ▁football ▁team . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁fresh man ▁campaign ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁M err iman ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 1 3 ▁games ▁and ▁finished ▁third ▁on ▁the ▁team ▁with ▁ 5 ▁s acks . ▁ ▁He ▁batt led ▁inj uries ▁for ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁his ▁s oph om ore ▁season , ▁but ▁never ▁missed ▁a ▁game . ▁He ▁broke ▁onto ▁the ▁national ▁scene ▁his ▁junior ▁year , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁A CC ▁All - Con ference ▁team ▁and ▁earned ▁the ▁Iron ▁Ter p ▁award ▁for ▁the ▁" strong est ▁p ound ▁for ▁p ound ▁player " ▁on ▁the ▁Maryland ▁football ▁ro ster . ▁ ▁His ▁ 4 1 . 5 " ▁vertical