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NEO Flight quarterback and Canton-based Canaan Mercer is starting to turn heads at the national level. Over the past two seasons, the 6th Grade signal-caller helped lead the Flight to a 2024 D1 Pop Warner 11u Super Bowl National championship and the 2025 D1 Pop Warner 12u Super Bowl National runners-up slot.
Not only is Mercer blessed with a plethora of outstanding receivers to throw to, he possesses a strong and accurate arm combined with his poise in the pocket, vision down field and the ability to make almost any throw. He is fresh off a 29 touchdown pass season, a majority of those being hauled in by Dax Parsons, who is one of the most gifted youth football players not only in Ohio, but in the nation. The dynamic duo had several big plays this past season including one that made an ESPN Top 10 Highlight list in December.
At only 12 years old and already 5’9 and 130lbs, Mercer can fit the ball in tight windows but also has the unique ability to look off defenders and create open pockets for his wideouts. Not only does he get the ball off fast, but it arrives with some strong zip on it as well. Keep in mind, those numbers we mentioned are for a sixth grader lining up mostly against seventh and eighth graders. A few weeks ago, he was at Elite 11 Academy in Massillon Oh, where he won the accuracy challenge amongst his peers.
Canaan is currently ranked the #2 QB in the country for his class (2032) by QB Hitlist, which is one of the most prominent QB recruiting sites in the country.
The sky is the limit for Mercer and it will be interesting to track his progress over the next few years. He is set to attend middle school at Massillon this fall.
Congrats to young gun Canaan Mercer, who is the Kee On Sports “Player to Watch” this week, in youth athletics.
YOU CAN VIEW HIS HIGHLIGHTS HERE –
My step son played against this team in 2024 when Mercer was only in 5th grade. That team lit my sons team up after we had gotten off to a hot start. Kid is blessed with talent around him and was a good leader out there as well. Sadly, we moved to NJ after the season as my job got transferred, but Ohio youth football can hang with anyone.
I pride myself on making every one of my kids games, plays, award ceremonies, all of it. It drives me nuts when I see parents show up late or leave early.
I made a vow to myself I would never be one of those parents. Well, sadly, I broke that vow the day my son team played this squad. It got so bad I left in the middle of the third quarter.
Good luck trying to stop #8. This team is not one to screw with.