What to know about Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz, including stats, age, height, weight and more

After he riddled Illinois and stunned the college football world in his debut as a redshirt freshman in 2020, Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz has had a bumpy ride.

But Mertz, now a junior, is determined to show that he isn't a one-game wonder.

Get to know Mertz here.

Where is Graham Mertz from?

His hometown is Overland Park, Kansas. His first two years of high school were spent at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kansas. Before his junior year, Mertz transferred to Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas.

How old is Graham Mertz?

He is 20 years old.

When is Graham Mertz's birthday?

He was born on Dec. 6, 2000.

How tall is Graham Mertz?

He is 6-foot-3.

What's his weight?

He weighs 216 pounds.

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What were Graham Mertz's statistics last season?

He completed 169 of 284 passes (59.5%) for 1,958 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Mertz threw nine touchdown passes against just five interceptions over the final 10 games of the season and completed 66.4% of his passes over the final five games.

One of the highlights was an 11-of-16 performance for 240 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-3 win at Rutgers. His 244.1 pass efficiency in that game was third-highest by a Big Ten quarterback in a conference game last season.

He went 18-for-23 for 216 yards and two touchdowns against Northwestern the following week. He completed 11 of 15 passes for 137 yards and a score in the Las Vegas Bowl victory over Arizona State.

What were Graham Mertz's statistics in the 2020 season?

He completed 118 of 194 passes (60.8%) for 1,220 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions in the COVID-shortened season.

He became the first Wisconsin freshman to start a season opener at quarterback since 1978, going 20-for-21 (95.2%), 248 yards and five touchdowns against Illinois. The completion percentage was a Wisconsin record. His five touchdown passes tied the highest single-game total in UW history. Mertz finished with a pass efficiency rating of 277.1, the third-highest mark in Wisconsin history. He completed his first 17 passes, matching the Badgers’ single-game school record for consecutive completions (third-longest streak in a conference game in Big Ten history). His 248 yards passing was the third-highest single-game total by a Wisconsin freshman.

Mertz also threw for two touchdowns in a win at Michigan. He capped the season with a passing touchdown and two rushing scores in UW's Duke's Mayo Bowl victory over Wake Forest. After the game, he dropped and shattered the bowl game trophy.

What were Graham Mertz's statistics in the 2019 season?

He appeared in two games as a backup quarterback. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 73 yards. He went 4-for-5 for 35 yards in his Badgers debut vs. Central Michigan Sept. 7. He was 5-for-5 for 38 yards and had a 10-yard run vs. Kent State on Oct. 5. He was then redshirted.

Graham Mertz honors and awards

In 2021, he made the Academic All-Big Ten team. In the preseason, he was on the Manning Award watch list, Davey O’Brien Award watch list and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list.

In 2020, he was on the Davey O’Brien Award midseason watch list. He was the Maxwell Award Player of the Week (Oct. 26), Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 26) and Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Oct. 26). He made the Academic All-Big Ten team.

What were Graham Mertz's high school accomplishments?

He led Blue Valley North to a Class 6A state championship as a junior, and to state runner-up as a senior. In his senior year he completed 61.1% of his passes for 3,886 yards and a state-record 51 touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Elite 11 quarterback competition in 2018 and was named Gatorade Kansas Football Player of the Year. He was invited to the All-American Bowl after his senior season, where he set a bowl record with five touchdown passes and was named the game's MVP.

What was Graham Mertz's ranking with ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals out of high school?

He was rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports.com, and Rivals.com. ESPN rated him as the best pocket passer in the class of 2019 and 21st highest rated recruit overall. In the 247Sports Composite, Mertz was rated as the third-highest rated pro-style quarterback, the highest rated Kansas recruit, and 65th highest rated recruit overall.

What is Graham Mertz's major?

Retailing and consumer behavior.

Who is Graham Mertz's family?

His parents are Ron and Amy Mertz. His father played football at Minnesota from 1989-92. His sister, Lauren, played basketball at Kansas State in 2014-15. His other sister, Mya, played basketball at Drake from 2016-21.

What are Graham Mertz's Twitter and Instagram accounts?

On Twitter, Mertz is at @GrahamMertz5.

On Instagram, Mertz is at graham_mertz5.

Does Graham Mertz have merchandise and any Name, Image and Likeness deals?

Yes. He has a personal clothing line. He also has a deal with Pepsi.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Get to know Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz