Why Undrafted?: James Morris, LB, Iowa
By Charlie Campbell, @draftcampbell
Morris is a recent fan favorite of the Iowa program. He played really well for Iowa across his 4-year career. In his final three seasons, Morris had tackle totals that surpassed 100, plus made a number of splash plays. He was a quality run-defender who showed good instincts and toughness. Morris was also a team leader for the Hawkeyes.
Entering the 2014 NFL Draft, many projected Morris to be a mid to late-round pick. He added weight late in his college career to help alleviate some size concerns, but those weren’t the only one negative that teams had. Teams felt that Morris lacked speed and athleticism to make it in the NFL. He was well suited for the Big Ten ground attacks, but he isn’t viewed as a fast, rangy linebacker who can defend NFL passing attacks.
Some sources also said that Morris had some medical questions. All these flags were sufficient for him to fall undrafted. It also led to Morris being released by New England following a failed physical.
Morris went undrafted and will probably end up being one of those good college players who never makes it in the NFL. However, hes was a pure football player at Iowa, and throughout NFL history, there have been great players who overcame a lack of physical skills. Perhaps Morris can prove people wrong, but first he needs to get to training camp with a team.
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