Stanford hiring ex-NFL scout, college GM into director role | Sources
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Stanford coach Tavita Pritchard is adding another staffer with deep NFL experience to his first-year Cardinal staff, multiple people with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday, March 25.
Pritchard is hiring Bobby Merritt away from his post as general manager of the Nevada Wolf Pack football program into the role of director of college personnel for Stanford, sources told USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the hire of Merritt has not been publicly announced.
A long-time NFL scout with several years’ experience with the Houston Texans who also worked in college personnel in the SEC at Tennessee and Texas, Merritt also has served in a collegiate general manager role previously at the Rice. Jeff Choate hired him to run Nevada’s operations in late-February 2025.
The impending addition of Merritt, whom sources said would start with the Stanford program next week, positions Pritchard to further strengthen the depth of NFL experience on his inaugural Cardinal staff.
Offensive coordinator Terry Heffernan worked previously for the Buffalo Bills before Pritchard brought him back to Stanford from his post on Tony Elliott’s Virginia staff; director of defense Kris Richard coached and played in the NFL.
Wide receivers coach Brian Bratton also returned to collegiate coaching directly from the NFL when he was hired by Pritchard from his role as an offensive assistant for the Indianapolis Colts.
Special teams coordinator Nate Kaczor coached 16 seasons in the NFL.
A Stanford alum, Pritchard was hired by Andrew Luck, a former Stanford and NFL star quarterback, to run the Cardinal program following the conclusion of college football’s 2025 regular season. He had spent the previous three seasons as quarterbacks coach for the NFL’s Washington Commanders.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stanford football hiring longtime NFL scout, college GM Bobby Merritt
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