Quarterback, Merrimack (from Massachusetts), 2024–⁠26

A.J. Hairston

Number
No. 8
Height
6′3″
Weight
215 lb
Class (2026)
Sophomore
Hometown
Pompano Beach, FL

A.J. Hairston plays quarterback for Merrimack, after Massachusetts (2024–⁠25). Last time out, at Dartmouth: 16 of 27, 174 yards, 2 INT; 13 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD. Hairston leads Merrimack in passing touchdowns and passing yards this season.

2026 so far

958 passing yards, 6 TD

Last game: 16 of 27, 174 yards, 2 INT; 13 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD at Dartmouth, L 21–⁠27

Next game: vs. New Hampshire, Oct 24

Game by game this season, passing yards
  1. 145URI
  2. 75@DEL
  3. 73@ME
  4. 214@TAR
  5. 85NHVN
  6. 192@YALE
  7. 174@DART

Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.

Career highs

227passing yards, career highat Kent State, 20253touchdown passes, career hightwice; last at Tarleton State, 2026

Passing

Passing yards, season by season, with his team’s record

* The season in progress, so far.

SeasonTeamCmpAttPctYdsY/ATDInt
2024Massachusetts407354.84806.650
2025Massachusetts10721649.59574.444
2026Merrimack8215253.99586.366
Career22944151.92,3955.41510

Rushing

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2024Massachusetts24−5−0.2110
2025Massachusetts4330.1023
2026Merrimack602033.4129
Career1272011.6229

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2024Massachusetts8QBYr 1
2025Massachusetts8QBYr 2
2026Merrimack8QBSo. (Yr 3)6′3″215

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. pass
2024Massachusetts950.24––22.434%0.41
2025Massachusetts258-0.061st (n=314)0.24-15.238%-0.08
2026Merrimack (FCS)2050.1431st (n=273)0.2127.745%–

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Passing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessDepthAfter catchDeep throwsDeep completed
2025Massachusetts32%8.6 yds2.8 yds8 of 920%

Success: passes that kept the offense on schedule. Depth: how far downfield his passes traveled in the air, on average. After catch: yards his receivers gained after the catch, per completion. Deep throws: the play-by-play gives depth and direction for about half of a passer’s throws; this is how many of those went deep, and how many of the deep ones were caught. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Rushing detail

SeasonTeamSuccessLine yardsSecond levelOpen fieldStuffed
2025Massachusetts41%3.001.303.1022%

Where his yards came from, per carry: line yards are the ones credited to the blockers (the first few, and losses), second level the yards 5 to 10 past the line, open field those beyond 10. Success: carries that kept the offense on schedule. Stuffed: carries stopped at or behind the line. From CollegeFootballData, FBS games, 2025 on.

Game by game

2026 Merrimack 7 games, 958 passing yards, 6 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Aug 28vs.Rhode IslandL 7–⁠34122314501−1
Sep 3atDelawareL 7–⁠4211207501−8
Sep 12atMaineW 23–⁠14916730165
Sep 19atTarleton StateL 20–⁠45173221431−3
Sep 26vs.New HavenW 17–⁠1068851034
Oct 3atYaleL 24–⁠4111261922069
Oct 17atDartmouthL 21–⁠2716271740247
2025 Massachusetts 10 games, 957 passing yards, 4 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 6vs.BryantL 26–⁠273428000
Sep 13atIowaL 7–⁠474856002
Sep 27atMissouriL 6–⁠4211317511−15
Oct 4vs.Western MichiganL 3–⁠21111813101−25
Oct 11atKent StateL 6–⁠42264822701−29
Oct 18vs.BuffaloL 21–⁠28614119200
Oct 25atCentral MichiganL 13–⁠3821511760129
Nov 4atAkronL 10–⁠4412205410−1
Nov 12vs.Northern IllinoisL 3–⁠451321910023
Nov 18atOhioL 14–⁠420100019
2024 Massachusetts 4 games, 480 passing yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Nov 2atMississippi StateL 20–⁠457116210−6
Nov 16vs.LibertyL 34–⁠351325163007
Nov 23atGeorgiaL 21–⁠5971612110−15
Nov 30vs.UConnL 42–⁠471321134309

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

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