Michigan EDGE Mike Morris forgoes remaining eligibility, declares for NFL Draft
Michigan Wolverines football has been dubbed ‘Edge Rusher U.’ in recent years, and the Maize and Blue have another player from the position group heading to the NFL Draft. Senior EDGE Mike Morris announced he will take his shot at the next level, forgoing his final two seasons of eligibility. Morris redshirted in 2019 and got a free year of eligibility in 2020.
Morris made his announcement on Instagram.
“My career at Michigan can only be described as a true Michigan man experience,” Morris wrote. “I’ve went through plenty of lows, but those lows made me into the man I am today. A champion in life and in football. I wouldn’t change my experience at Michigan for anything in the world.
“I would also like to thank my family for instilling great values in me. Thank my coaches for putting me and my teammates in position to succeed. Thank [head] Coach [Jim] Harbaugh for his support and love. I would also like to thank the greatest university in the world for their endless support of me and this football team.
“GOD has blessed me with amazing people in my life to help me on this next chapter in life. After talks with my coaches and family, I am entering my name in the NFL Draft.
“Go Blue!”
At 6-foot-6, 292 pounds, Morris has a unique combination of size, strength and speed for his position. He ended the 2022 season ranked tied for second in the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks, leading the Wolverines, while adding 23 tackles, 11 of which came behind the line of scrimmage. He also recorded 4 quarterback hurries, 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble and 1 blocked kick.
Morris missed two games late in the season after going down with a leg injury against Nebraska Nov. 12. He played 11 defensive snaps vs. Ohio State Nov. 26 but wasn’t able to complete the game. The Michigan EDGE then made 2 tackles in the Fiesta Bowl against TCU.
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The Belle Glade, Fla., native was named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, the sixth Michigan player to earn the honor.
Morris was one of the nation’s elite pass rushers in true pass sets. In those situations, he posted a 22.7 pressure rate, which was tied for the eighth-best mark in the country. His 37 pressures led the Maize and Blue.
Morris played in just one game in 2020, before playing a backup and specialty role in 2021. The latter season, he was backing up stars Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, and was also used as an interior lineman on passing downs.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. placed Morris No. 22 on his NFL Draft big board released Nov. 3. He slotted as the third-best defensive end.
“It’s rare to see a guy as big as Morris playing on his feet as a stand-up edge rusher, but he moves extremely well for his size,” Kiper wrote. “Morris could be considered a bit of a late bloomer, but he was playing behind two great talents last season (Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo); he had only a half-sack in three starts in 2021.”
