#4 Mercules: Top 20 Players of Black Ops 6

The #4 Player of the Black Ops 6 season is the standout rookie representing the Greenwall, Mason “Mercules” Ramsay of OpTic Texas.

Another star player that started the season in Challengers, Mercules, was instrumental in the turnaround that OpTic had this season. Leading two completely different rosters to Top 4 finishes showcased the impact that Mason had on them. While David “RenKoR” Isern won the regular season MVP, Mercules is the current favorite to win it for the entire season. Ending the year with a 1.11 overall K/D, 1.28 SND K/D, and 89.5 Slayer Rating, the star power of Mercules was very evident.

Season Review

Starting the year in Challengers, Mercules started on Thomas “ZooMaa” Paparatto’s Stallions squad before ending up on OMiT Brooklyn midway through the year. Mason had proven to be a top talent in the scene, winning the Stage 3 Eline and placing Top at the Dallas Open.

While preparing for the Boca Raton Major III, Toronto Ultra needed an emergency substitute as Ben “Beans” McMellon was unable to make it to the States for the event. Mercules would join the team last second, helping them make a Cinderella run to 3rd place. Upset wins over Miami Heretics & Boston Breach showed that Mercules not only could hang with the pros but stood out on the map. Mason would end the tournament with a 1.08 K/D & 87.1 Slayer Rating.

Even though he proved himself against the best, Mercules did start Stage IV in back Chalelngers. Granted, he was being selective with his offers, reportedly potentially turning down Toronto & Cloud9 New York. Mason wouldn’t have to wait long to get the call back up to the big Leagues, though.

📸 Photo by @CODLeague

Stage 4 flipped the script. Once Mercules joined in place of Cesar “Skyz” Bueno, and the lineup immediately looked sharper, going 3-2 in qualifiers with a 13-6 map count to earn the #3 seed for the DreamHack Dallas Major. Joining the trio of Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro, Cuyler “Huke” Garland, and Brandon “Dashy” Otell made the OpTic core instantly Championship Contenders.

On LAN, OpTic’s teamwork and map pool looked rejuvenated. Consistency in Hardpoint and Control (both 3rd in W%) and a resurgent SND pushed them to a Top-4 finish, restoring belief ahead of the postseason. Wins over Toronto Ultra & Boston Breach showed the potential of the squad, but the losses to both LA Thieves & Atlanta FaZe showed that there was more work to be done.

At Champs 2025, OpTic’s season came full circle. They opened with a dominant 3-0 sweep over Atlanta FaZe, powered by standout performances from Mercules and Huke. They rolled through Toronto Ultra and Boston Breach without dropping a series, smothering opponents in respawn. The Grand Final brought another clash with Vancouver Surge, this time in a nine-map war. Trading blows throughout, OpTic emerged with a 5–3 victory, becoming the first team in CDL history to win back-to-back World Championships. Rookie Mercules claimed Champs MVP honors for his clutch play across all three modes. He had a 1.17 overall K/D for the event, including a 1.52 K/D in SND with a 75% opening duel win rate.

📸 Photo by @CODLeague

The momentum carried into the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, where OpTic, competing under the OpTic Gaming banner, stormed through pool play 6-0 in maps. Hard-fought wins over 100 Thieves and Team Heretics set up a rematch with Vancouver Surge in the Final. This time, OpTic left no doubt, sweeping Surge 4-0 to claim the EWC title and secure back-to-back tournament wins.

OpTic Texas’s 2025 campaign was a story of extremes, crushing lows in Stage 2, turbulent roster changes, and a late-season resurgence that built into one of the most dominant Champs runs ever seen. Their ability to retool midyear, restore chemistry, and peak when it mattered most reaffirmed their place among Call of Duty’s all-time great teams.

How Good Was Mercules in 2025?

Hardpoint

Finishing the year with a 1.04 K/D, Mercules was a steady & impactful AR on that map. His per-10-minute statistics were fantastic. Mason had 24.8 kills, 3,166 damage, and 74.7 seconds of hill time per 10 minutes played. Enabling his teammates while leading in objective work, OpTic had a winning record when Mecules either went positive (19-3, 96.4%) or negative (10-7, 58.8%). He was the only player in the League who could say that, showcasing his intangibles.

Looking at OpTic from Stage IV till the end of the season, Texas had the best record in the League at 21-7 (75%). The squad had the best average margin (+44.0) and the highest break percentage (36.2%). They were better on LAN, sitting at a 17-4 record (81%) with an average margin of +49.0. The final two tournaments of the year had a combined 12-1 record, becoming the best Hardpoint team of the season.

Search & Destroy

The best individual for Mercules was easily Search & Destroy. The rookie had a 1.28 K/D in the mode, adding in 0.78 kills per round, 115.6 ADR, and an opening duel win rate of 59.6%. His LAN numbers stayed the same, sitting at a 1.29 K/D with 0.78 kills per round. Mason’s Esports World Cup numbers were insane. At the final tournament, Mercules finished with a 1.68 K/D in the mode with 0.85 kills per round and 2 key clutches. With a full season under his belt, the rest of the League should be scared about his prospects.

📸 Photo by @CODLeague

Again, looking at just Stage IV until the Esports World Cup, OpTic finished with a 14-9 (60.9%) record, ranking 4th in the League. With a rejuvenated squad, OpTic led the League in multiple categories, including round win percentage (56.8%), opening duel win rate (56.8%), post-plant win percentage (77.8%), and attacking record (56-36, 60.9%). The only negative was the 1-2 record in Game 5s.

Control

Finishing the year with the second-highest K/D in the mode, Mercules’ 1.18 K/D helped power OpTic Texas. The rookie led the League with a 1.40 K/D on the defensive side as well. He added per-10-minute statistics of 22.6 kills and 2,831 damage per 10 minutes played to go with 1.9 ticks per attack. His celiing was incredibly high, setting the K/D record in a single map when he finished with a 3.09 K/D versus Carolina.

With a 15-4 record in Control, OpTic Texas had the best record in the League from Stage IV to EWC. They also led the League in round win percentage (64.6%) and defending (25-6, 80.6%), while ranking second in allowing just 3.1 ticks per defense. The squad ended the year on a 5-map win streak, showcasing that they were the best respawn team by far at the end of the season.

A look ahead to Black Ops 7

Mercules heads into Black Ops 7 as one of the CDL’s brightest young stars, firmly locked in with OpTic Texas after a sensational rookie season. Fresh off winning Champs MVP and positioned as the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year honors, the rising talent has already proven he can deliver on the biggest stage. With OpTic opting to keep their roster intact, Mercules is expected to take a significant leap in his second year, building on his sharp gunskill, composure under pressure, and growing synergy with his veteran teammates. All signs point to him being a central figure in OpTic’s push for another championship run in Year 2.

📸 Photo by @CODLeague