Grant Morgan has had an unusual NFL Drafts progression. He studied at Arkansas between 2016 and 2021 and left with high hopes. 2020 was his year, as he entered the Al-SEC first team, the Phil Steele 3rd team, the AFCA second team, and the Walter Camp second team.
His progression continued in 2021 when he was awarded the Burlsworth Trophy – an achievement given to the most outstanding college football player who wasn’t scouted.
These “walk-on” players are often the weakest in the team, but Grant Morgan was making a name for himself – or so he thought.
Grant Morgan’s Strengths
Morgan was originally on the NFL draft odds in 2022. During that time he did have a good deal of strengths.
Morgan was a quick runner who could read the pitch and react accordingly. He was fast and could easily get past blockers in his way. With this speed, he could get good coverage which made him the go-to linebacker when receivers were in a jam.
His great instincts were helped by his good reaction skills too. Morgan could always find the ball in a scuffle and bring it back to his team.
Morgan was also an intelligent player using his smarts and MIKE techniques to get past the larger players.
Grant Morgan’s Weakness
As you may know by now, Grant Morgan wasn’t picked in the NFL Drafts. The NFL draft picks were filled with strong talent that year and although Morgan was good, others were better.
Morgan’s failings came when he wasn’t fast enough. Although Morgan could slip past many defenders, if they could reach him, that was it. Morgan wasn’t strong enough to hold his own.
This is probably because he is shorter than most linebackers and could easily become engulfed during the scrimmage.
When push came to shove, you’d often find this player on his back, unable to stand strong among the opposing forces.
Just as he could easily be thrown down, Morgan found it hard to tackle others. He would go for a big hit and end up in a tussle.
For all the greatness that Morgan’s speed and instincts could give, his lack of strength and shorter stature meant he was constantly overpowered.
A Shaky Start To His Career
Morgan always had his eyes on football. When he went to Greenwood High School he was a 3-year letterwinner and was an interest to Arkansas University. However, like a recurring theme, Morgan was their number 22 prospect with a 3-star rating – but that didn’t stop him.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Southwest Times Record both named the young lad Player of the Year, helping him get the attention of the college.
They invited him to an unofficial visit to the campus when Arkansas said he could be a walk-on player. This meant he had a scholarship but wasn’t recruited.
He had no offers from other schools, but that didn’t matter.
After 2 years with Arkansas, the university upgraded him to a full scholarship. There he did well as a walk-on player reaching first team and second teams for the state.
However despite all of his accomplishments, all of his awards, and helping the team win the Outback Bowl 24-10, Morgan didn’t get picked in the drafts.
This didn’t dampen his spirit though as Morgan pitched to become an undrafted free agent.
The Jacksonville Jaguars took him on in May 2022. After a few months, they waived this agreement and re-signed Morgan as a practice squad member. This was a blow, but at least he was still part of the team.
However, the Jaguars weren’t doing well. They have been trying to find a middle ground to help pick up their lost points. With their string of losses, their latest bid to change the tide was to drop their weakest players. Morgan hadn’t had a chance to play before he was released from their practice squad.
Current Ranking Stats
Now Morgan is back as a free agent, he can sign on to a new team. He was also never drafted, so he could attempt that circus again.
Before he left the college games, Morgan had a vertical jump of 34.5, and a broad jump of 112. He could bench press 21 and had a 40 dash of 4.9.
These numbers were average to high in his time, showing he could still make an impact if his stats have not changed. Because Morgan hasn’t played in the NFL yet, we cannot determine if he has improved or regressed.
In his college games, Morgan played 44 matches and created 1,582 snaps. He was ranked 38th against all other Linebackers with an overall ranking of 365.
Final Thoughts
Grant Morgan was a fantastic player in high school and a strong teammate in college, but so far his NFL career hasn’t been good. It hasn’t even started.
Morgan might go back to the NFL drafts, however, the linebackers this season are strong. To make the impact he needs, Morgan has to improve his strength above all else. If that changes, and he keeps his agility, then he might have a shot!
