NFL Draft Preview: Stephen Morris
Stephen Morris is the latest in a long line of Miami quarterbacks headed to the NFL.
The Hurricanes have produced 11 NFL QBs, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, Super Bowl champion Bernie Kosar and Heisman Trophy winners Vinny Testaverde and Gino Torretta.
All five national champion quarterbacks (Kosar, Steve Walsh, Craig Erickson, Torretta and Ken Dorsey) went on to play in the NFL, while Testaverde was the No. 1 overall selection in the 1987 NFL Draft.
Morris’ career at Miami was filled with highlights, seeing action in all four seasons in Coral Gables. A two-time team captain, Morris set the school’s single-season total offense record with 3,415 yards in 2012, breaking Kosar’s 1984 record (3,412).
On Sept. 29, 2012, Morris set the ACC record with 566 passing yards against N.C. State. After throwing for 3,028 yards in 2013, Morris joined Torretta as the second QB in school history with multiple 3,000-yard seasons.
An athletically gifted signal caller with a powerful throwing arm, Morris measured in a 6-foot-2 at the NFL Combine. He is an intriguing prospect to NFL teams looking to develop a quarterback.
CBSSports.com was one of several publications who viewed Morris as a quarterback with a lot of ability, saying, “He has a golden arm to effortlessly spin the ball anywhere on the field with the athleticism and toughness to match, and was a standout at the Manning Passing Academy in 2013 while performing next to the likes of Johnny Manziel and A.J. McCarron.”
Draft experts have noticed a lot of good tools in the senior quarterback.
Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com views Morris as a “Quick athlete with elusive moves and excellent feel in the pocket to maneuver around the noise to keep plays alive. Sets up quickly in the pocket and stays balanced through his delivery, showing precise downfield vision and touch. Has improved substantially with his pre-snap recognition skills to find mismatches and understand where he wants to go with the football before the pocket collapses. All the arm strength needed for the next level.”
Leading up to the draft, Morris has visited with the Dolphins, Panthers, Browns, Broncos, Texans and Saints. The Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero recently reported that Morris has “impressed” several people within the Dolphins organization.
Several teams will be looking to add a quarterback this draft and mock drafts have Morris potentially landing in Cleveland. Should he be selected by the Browns, he would become the 13th Cane drafted by the Browns, joining former teammate Travis Benjamin.
| HURRICANES DRAFTED BY THE CLEVELAND BROWNS | |||
| PLAYER, POS. | YEAR | ROUND | PICK |
| Scott Nicolas, LB | 1982 | 12 | 310 |
| Rocky Belk, WR | 1983 | 7 | 176 |
| Bernie Kosar, QB | 1984 | 1 | Supp. |
| Willie Smith, TE | 1986 | 10 | 265 |
| Gregg Rakoczy, C | 1987 | 2 | 32 |
| A.C. Tellison, WR | 1995 | 7 | 231 |
| James Jackson, RB | 2001 | 3 | 65 |
| Andre King, WR | 2001 | 7 | 245 |
| Joaquin Gonzalez, OT | 2002 | 7 | 227 |
| Kellen Winslow II, TE | 2004 | 1 | 6 |
| Leon Williams. LB | 2006 | 4 | 110 |
| Travis Benjamin, WR | 2012 | 4 | 100 |
New York is another potential landing spot for Morris, as he is projected in this mock draft to go to the Jets. While the Jets have never drafted a Miami quarterback, they have picked nine Hurricanes since 1963.
| HURRICANES DRAFTED BY THE NEW YORK JETS | |||
| PLAYER, POS. | YEAR | ROUND | PICK |
| Nick Ryder, FB | 1963 | 16 | 123 |
| Burgess Owens, DB | 1973 | 1 | 13 |
| Joe Wysock, G | 1975 | 5 | 118 |
| Glenn Dennison, TE | 1984 | 2 | 39 |
| Dale Dawkins, WR | 1990 | 9 | 223 |
| Santana Moss, WR | 2001 | 1 | 16 |
| Matt Walters, DE | 2003 | 5 | 150 |
| Jonathan Vilma, LB | 2004 | 1 | 12 |
| Darrell McClover, LB | 2004 | 7 | 213 |
Another team to watch is Jacksonville. The Jaguars’ offensive coordinator is former Miami OC Jedd Fisch. Morris had his best statistical season under Fisch and the two could be reunited in the NFL. Should Jacksonville draft Morris, he would be the first Hurricane drafted by the Jaguars.
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