Yukica Profile: Jared Dyer

By rbrown
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Updated: June 12, 2020

NOTE: The 2020 Joe Yukica New Hampshire Chapter of the National Football Foundation Scholar/Athlete banquet was cancelled this year because of COVID-19. Each Scholar/Athlete will be recognized with a commemorative program, a plaque and a personal profile that will appear in the program, on the New Hampshire Football Report, the Joe Yukica/New Hampshire Chapter web site (joeyukicafootballfoundation.org) and the Joe Yukica/New Hampshire Chapter Facebook page. This is one in a series of 39 profiles. Once published, each profile can be accessed by clicking on the athlete’s name at the bottom of the page.

JARED DYER
Merrimack High School

If you’re talking about the best NHIAA football player in the Class of 2020, you’d be remiss to leave Merrimack High School’s Jared Dyer out of the discussion.

Dyer, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end/defensive end, was destructive on defense, and a dominant offensive player as well. Some statistics from his senior year: 25 touchdowns, 1,256 all-purpose yards, 60 tackles, 42 tackles for loss, one interception and two blocked kicks.

Dyer’s most impressive attribute?

“I think it’s that for a kid his size he can do so many things well,” Merrimack coach Kip Jackson said. “When he was growing up he was always the biggest kid in his class. When first he got to high school there was discussion about whether or not he should be an offensive lineman, but once you see him move and you understand what a great athlete he is it just becomes apparent that he’s somebody who can do a number of different things: He can throw the ball; he ran the ball for us; he was a blocker as a tight end attached; he was a blocker out in space; he played Wildcat QB in goalline situations or short-yardage situations — and I’m just talking about what he did on offense. On defense he was just a dominant, dominant force on the defensive line, and he has been for at least two years now.

“The other thing that really stood out was his toughness, and how it permeated throughout the entire team.”

Dyer was a two-year captain in football. He played four years of varsity basketball, and was a two-year captain in that sport as well. He also placed 12th in the Decathlon.

Take away Dyer’s athletic accomplishments and his resume remains impressive. He’s a member of the National Honor Society, participated in the Reading Buddies program and served food at the Nashua Soup Kitchen. He is also among those chosen to receive the Scholar/Athlete Award from the Joe Yukica New Hampshire Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

Dyer, who was selected to participate in the CHaD New Hampshire East/West All-Star Game, will continue his football career at Holy Cross.

“What made him more recruitable is he’s opened up a number of doors just based on what he does academically, and the kind of person he is,” Jackson said. “I think initially he’s going to be a defensive end — or defensive line may be the best way of putting it — and we’ll kind of see where it goes from there.”

Jackson said Dyer showed exceptional leadership abilities and always did what he could to help those in need throughout his high school career.

“He’s humble, gracious and he won our Tim Gibson Award, which is based on character,” Jackson said. “He’s somebody that everybody on the team respected and looked up to. He’s been a leader since he was a sophomore in the program.

“All of these Scholar/Athletes have a mix of those traits. That’s what makes them special kids and special athletes.”

Q and A with Jared Dyer

Q: Please describe the most memorable moment of your high school football career.

A: My most memorable football moment would have to be the last play on Merrimack High School’s field when we scored a touchdown with all of our seniors in the game. It’s a feeling I will never forget. It was truly going out on top.

Q: Tell us about someone who has had a significant influence on your life.

A: My coach Brandon Lilley has changed my view on football and life in general. He has always been there for me no matter what, which is really important to me, and has helped me become the player I am today and going to be on the next level.

Q: What is your favorite subject in school and why?

A: My favorite subject in school is criminology because I find it fascinating and may pursue a career in some type of criminal justice.

Q: What life lessons have you learned from football?

A: I’ve learned that hard work really does pay off, and that people somewhere always have it worse than you so pick your head up and stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Q: What is your dream job?

A: My dream job is either an FBI agent or a physical education teacher at the high school level.

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2020 Scholar/Athletes: Keith Albergo (Winnacunnet), Thatcher Allen (Exeter), Cole Ames (Lebanon), Mason Belsky (Windham), Patrick Brust (Bishop Brady), Jaedon Cliche (Exeter), Riley Desmarais (Windham), Bobby DiCicco (Windham), Jared Dyer (Merrimack), Casey Gladu (Portsmouth), Owen Gormley (Salem), Jack Grogan (Bedford), Steven Guerette (Bow), Evan Haskins (Pelham), Samson Hodges (Milford), Ethan Holt (Bishop Guertin), Jack Jones (Bedford), Charlie Kneissl-Williams (Bedford), Hunter Lassard (St. Thomas), Joseph Lupo (Bishop Guertin), Jake MacInnis (Pinkerton), Braden McDonnell (Nashua South), Will MacLean (St. Thomas), Hayden Moses (Bishop Guertin), Riley Mulvey (Salem), Kyle O’Connor (Nashua South), Nolan Pafford (Portsmouth), Wade Rainey (Lebanon), Ismael Rivera (Bishop Brady), Oceanne Skoog (Newfound), Caleb Smith (Lebanon), Rolando Sylvain-Stott (Newfound), John Thibault (Trinity), Zach Twardosky (Merrimack), Gavin Urda (Milford), Carter Vedrani (Campbell), Jacob Wenger (Trinity), Jon Willeman (Lebanon) and Devin Wood (Merrimack).