QB James Morgan, who led FIU’s historic upset of Miami, heads to Jets in NFL Draft
James Morgan’s two-year run as the quarterback for the FIU Panthers was one of the most prolific in school history. Now he’s the second FIU quarterback to be selected in the NFL Draft.
The New York Jets took Morgan with the 19th pick of the fourth round — No. 125 overall — on Saturday in the 2020 NFL Draft. The quarterback is the ninth player in Panthers history to be selected in the Draft and the first since Houston Texans quarterback Alex McGough was a seventh-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2018 NFL Draft.
“My top strength is my preparation,” Morgan said. “I’m a really good leader... My biggest asset is my hard work.”
Morgan was one of two FIU players drafted Saturday. The Carolina Panthers also selected cornerback Stantley Oliver-Thomas with the seventh pick of the seventh round — No. 221 overall.
McGough is the owner of most career and single-season passing records at FIU, but Morgan made a run at most of the single-season records throughout his two years in Miami. Morgan, who began his career with the Bowling Green Falcons, broke McGough’s single-season record with 26 touchdown passes in 2018. Morgan also threw for 2,727 yards in 2018 before missing the Bahamas Bowl because of an injury, leaving him less than 100 yards short of McGough’s single-season record of 2,791 yards.
Morgan’s greatest accomplishment, however, came in his slightly less prolific senior season. In 2019, Morgan orchestrated one of the biggest upsets in South Florida history, guiding the Panthers to a stunning win against the Miami Hurricanes in Miami. Morgan went 16 of 30 for 160 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in the six-point win at Marlins Park.
The on-field production at FIU is only part of what intrigued NFL teams. The 6-foot-4, 229-pound quarterback followed up his Panthers career by playing in the 2020 East-West Shrine Bowl in January, where he threw for a game-high 116 yards in the East’s 31-27 win and won the Pat Tillman Award, given to the “player who best exemplifies character, intelligence, sportsmanship and service.” He then went to the NFL Scouting Combine in February, where he impressed teams with those same attributes which earned him the Tillman Award.
The Jets, he said, were the only team he formally interviewed with. He had the sense they liked him going into the Draft.
“Playing quarterback is about thinking on your feet and responding,” Morgan said. “I think I’ve shown my adaptability.”
Morgan finished his pre-law undgraduate degree in three years at Bowling Green, giving him immediate eligibility when he arrived at FIU ahead of the 2018 season. He reached out to about 60 coaches when he was trying to transfer, Morgan told ESPN, and Panthers quarterbacks coach Bryn Renner was the only one to respond. With two seasons of eligibility left, Morgan started every game he was healthy for in 2018 and 2019, leading FIU to back-to-back bowl berths and a school-record nine wins in 2018. He’s now just one credit short of earning his master’s degree in public administration.
Morgan is also the first quarterback from Green Bay to be picked in the Draft since former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Bud Keyes was a 10th-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 1988. He grew up wearing No. 4 because of Brett Favre and eventually changed to No. 12 because of Aaron Rodgers.
Morgan, who was a three-star prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings for the Class of 2015 coming out of Ashwaubenon, comes from the NFL city most associated with quarterback play, so he had no shortage of idols growing up. He just needed to come all the way to Florida to end Green Bay’s long, surprising quarterback drought.
“No one deserves it more than him,” Renner told ESPN. “When he sent that email, it’s putting your resume on the line and saying, ‘Please take a chance on me.’ Sometimes you don’t get that shot, and he’s done everything you can with it.”
This story was originally published April 25, 2020 at 1:09 PM.
