2017 NFL Draft: Kutztown University’s Jordan Morgan Trusting The Process
By Jeremy Klump
Kutztown University’s Jordan Morgan is trusting the process on his way to becoming a 2017 NFL Draft pick.
Unless you live under a rock, you are familiar with the Philadelphia 76ers current “Trust The Process” regime. It may be comical at times, but when taken seriously, the actual meaning of “Trust The Process” is a great way to approach everyday life. Former Kutztown University offensive lineman Jordan Morgan is the epitome of the slogan as he is on the cusp of getting drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Growing up in Philadelphia, PA and attending Parkway Northwest High School, Morgan’s love was initially for basketball, not football. It wasn’t that he did not love the game of football, but instead, he hadn’t even played it to gauge his interest. However, a couple of friends talked him into playing the sport, which began a process that Morgan could never have dreamed of when he first took the field.
“I grew up in Philadelphia, and not a great part,” Morgan said. “It was a bit of a different path for me because I wasn’t really into football when I was younger. It wasn’t for any specific reason, but just because I had never played. I always played basketball. I attended Parkway Northwest High School and I had a few friends encouraging me to come out and play football. I wasn’t for it at first because I never played it, but then when I stepped out there; I was like, ‘damn, I should have been doing this from day one.’ It was a learning experience, and I only played about four or five games in high school. I wasn’t a good player; I was just a big guy that can move.”
“A big guy that could move” was enough for Kutztown University to see potential that no other school saw. Morgan would redshirt his freshman season to learn the game, get his body in collegiate shape, and take the next step of his process to becoming a star in the Pennslyvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). That next step meant Morgan would need to work hard, which is hard for some, but not for the 6-4, 320-pound offensive lineman.
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“The transition from my redshirt year, throughout the rest of my career, I never really thought of myself as a hard worker,” said Morgan. “I feel like it just makes sense to work hard. No one plays sports to be mediocre and I knew that I had potential, so my motivation was to be that much better. I knew it would work out for me, but I never quite pictured how it would work for me, but I just tried to be better than everyone out there. It was a stepping-stone, learning the game mentally, building my body up physically, and just learning how to play. It all came in time and I always trusted the process.”
This process wasn’t always easy for Morgan, especially when a kid from inner-city Philly made the move to Kutztown, PA, but Morgan adapted—a theme that has become part of his process to the NFL.
“My four years at Kutztown were definitely interesting,” Morgan said. “I came from inner-city Philadelphia to Kutztown, which is more of a rural area. It was a bit of a cultural shock, getting used to these new things. I feel like when it comes to being able to adapt, it’s something you have to be able to do no matter what is going on. Just like going to Kutztown from Philadelphia, it was different, but it wasn’t a reason to not do something. For me, I always view stuff like that as a challenge. It is all about how you meet that challenge.”
Morgan met the challenge like he meets linebackers as he took the field at the next level: with a full head of steam. Adapting to college was the easy part, but adapting to playing collegiate football can be tough for many. Adding that he only played four or five games in high school, the challenge was there for Morgan, but he dominated it, just like the defensive lineman that tried to get to his quarterback at Kutztown.
In college, Morgan became a dominant force. He was so dominant, that the many started to notice, including the NFL. The awards started to pile up for him and he capped his senior campaign off with the Gene Upshaw Award, which is given to the best offensive lineman in Division II. Through his four playing years at Kutztown, Morgan was awarded that that honor, 2- AP Little All-America First Team honors (2015, 2016), 2-time D2Football.com All-America First Team honors (2015, 2016), and a litany of others (via KUBears.com).
“Getting all those awards is something every player dreams about,” said Morgan. “For me, I would set a goal, but focus on every individual day instead. My sophomore year, I found out what the highest award I could earn was, and it was the Gene Upshaw Award. I told myself that I would earn that award by the time I was done playing. Just the fact that I got that award and so many others, it was surreal. These are things you plan for, pray for, and play for, but at the end of the day; you never really know what is going to happen. All you can do is control how you play. Earning stuff like that makes me hungrier. It’s like, okay, you’ve done this, but you’re still not done. You’re just getting started. You can go so much further. It’s like, how much further can I go?”
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The sky is the limit for Morgan, but right now his next goal is to walk away from the Reese’s Senior Bowl leaving a good impression on NFL personnel and scouts. Coming from a small school, the Senior Bowl is a great opportunity for the Division II star, however, the pressure is on him to leave that good impression.
“Opportunities like this don’t always come around,” said Morgan about his Senior Bowl invite. “This is the biggest opportunity I have ever had. My end goal for the Senior Bowl is to silence the naysayers. Some people believe I got what it takes, but some are on the fence. I want to erase all the doubts and show them that my gameplay is consistent.”
At the Senior Bowl, Morgan will be making the switch from offensive tackle to offensive guard. He will have to adapt to something new once again. But just like he did when he went from Philly to Kutztown, Morgan embraces the change. Many talent evaluators feel that Morgan’s best fit in the NFL is at guard, but he feels he can play any position an NFL team needs him at.
“I was invited to play guard, but a lot of teams are curious to see what I can do at center and tackle,” Morgan said. “I think a lot of teams are curious with my ability and size to see how I can perform in a few different places. I think that I will be able to play any position a team wants me to play. Some people look at offensive line and think all the positions are the same, but each position is different. But I am confident that if a team were to take me, anywhere they need to put me, I will perform.”
The Senior Bowl is just another part of the process for Morgan. It is obviously important, however, his NFL Combine invite may be just as big—if not bigger.
“I think I am going to go down to Indianapolis and put on a show,” Morgan said. “The interviews are where I will make my biggest impression, honestly.”
A good showing at both, or even just one of the events, could guarantee that Morgan will hear his name called in the 2017 NFL Draft. The reaction to getting drafted is different for everyone, but for Morgan, it will just feed his desire during his process to becoming a great player in the NFL.
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“It will bring me to tears. That will be the culmination of everything I have been working for to this point,” Morgan said. “Obviously, there is so much more work to be done, but that is just a sign that I am on my way and I need to keep doing what got me here. I believe that when I am in the NFL, I will become a great player. I am not naïve, I understand there is a learning curve and the level of competition is dramatically different, but I think about everything I have been through to this point. Nothing was handed to me and I had to fight and scratch for everything. All of those things have prepared me for this. Once I adjust, I think I can be a great player for somebody.”