Jordan Morgan 2024 Draft Profile
Jordan Morgan
OT, Arizona
Senior
BIO
Jordan Morgan was primed to enter the 2023 draft as a relatively high draft pick, but had an unfortunate twist of fate after he suffered a torn ACL on a non-contact injury in late November 2022. He opted to play out his fifth year of eligibility and further maximize his draft stock in an absolutely loaded 2024 offensive tackle class.
And it paid off.
He somewhat betted on himself and it worked out.
You never know how anybody is going to respond or if they can bounce back after an ACL tear. And Morgan’s 2023 season for the Arizona Wildcats showcased how he is well deserving of first round draft capital.
It was a bit of familiarity for Morgan playing for the University of Arizona as he was born in Marana, AZ and played high school football at Marana High School. He was a 3-star recruit according to 247 Sports and committed to being a Wildcat in June 2018.
He started 6 games as a true freshman and remained a full-time starter after that. A few sporadic injuries in his collegiate career caused him to miss a few games: 3 in 2020, 1 in 2021 and after ten games in the 2022 season when he tore his ACL.
STRENGTHS
Extremely nimble as a big man
All 6 foot 5, 325 lbs. of Morgan is extremely fluid for that size. So much so that there is even talk of him moving to potentially playing guard in the NFL, but I think his traits more than merit playing left tackle. Regardless, there is that option of versatility based on his skillset. But the short area quickness and ability to climb naturally are all smooth – he can wall-off defenders effectively. And the ability to gain depth in pass sets almost looks effortless. He has very quick feet too.
Balance
The smooth movement is all encompassed by excellent balance. The movements aren’t sporadic, and he doesn’t favor any aspect of his frame. The way that he resets in pass protection to any type of attack from a defender on a rush is highlighted all throughout his film. The knee bend and natural leverage stemming from that allows for a good generation of torque.
Experience
Morgan essentially comes with three full years of starting experience – was even thrown in as a true-freshman. And with that comes a good recognition of defenses: stunts, twists, late blitzes, etc…He seems very poised and it just appears natural.
Arizona Wildcats Offensive Lineman Jordan Morgan (77)- Arizonawildcats.com
Good explosion
You would think with how smooth and balanced Morgan is as a tackle, it would kind of negate having explosive aspects to his game. But he utilizes that short area quickness to get out prominently and pairs it with great hand placement both in the run game and pass game. He has a strong initial punch and gets good extension to finish.
Versatility
Jordan Morgan is a perfectly good left tackle. First round worthy as a matter of fact. There is going to be concerns about his length and how it might not be sustainable at the next level. However, his style of play lines up very well with the guard position. Not only that, I can totally see him being just fine as a right tackle. Now, LT is a premier position and I think Morgan is justified there. But the option of lining him up across the offensive line should be a highly coveted trait.
WEAKNESSES
Arm Length
It’s going to be interesting to see how he measures at the combine/senior bowl (invited/accepted) with his arm length. It doesn’t appear to be too bad, but it’s not what most NFL teams would want in a top 5 player at the OT position. Not initially as it appears anyway. But he still looks every bit of 6’5” and 325lbs though.
Injuries
Torn ACLs happen and I really don’t think it’s too much of a concern, but it is going to be a knock on him. Regardless, he opted to return for his final year, recovered and further cemented himself as a highly regarded tackle in an extremely loaded OT draft class. He did, however, miss a few games in 2020 with an injury as well. But taking into account that he’s played a lot of collegiate football shouldn’t be overlooked.
Struggles with Bull-rushers/power
Morgan matches up well against speed because of how he’s able to utilize his quick burst and reset from that. But he appears not to be as effective against more powerful and strength-based rushers. This could be due to the shorter arm length, but if he gets popped first, it throws off one of his best attributes: his balance.
IDEAL FIT
There is talk of Morgan potentially playing guard because of his playstyle/lack of arm length. I get it, but I think he’s a really good left tackle. If that’s not broken, don’t try to fix it. Especially being one of the better offensive tackles in a class that includes Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu – really elite prospects.
On paper, Morgan would do good in a potentially more zone friendly scheme, but I think he’s more than capable of adapting anywhere. He would be/is a menace in the screen game, a very effective pass blocker and shows good downhill blocking in the run game. The only knock is going to be that wingspan.
SUMMARY
Jordan Morgan is going to be a top 50 player in this stocked 2024 OT class. He is going to be in the mix with all of the top 5 offensive tackles with the generational talents of Alt and Fashanu showcasing that list. His position versatility adds a dynamic that some of those better tackle prospects might not have, however. He’s going to be a very good positional value pick in the late 1st or early 2nd.
Other than the possible length and injury, there’s not a whole lot to dislike about his game.
He’s very well experienced and based on his tools, he still has a pretty good ceiling to potentially grow in to. He’s athletic, balanced and other than the length, he has good size and very light on his feet. Even after tearing his ACL, he didn’t appear to lose any of his mobility.
And you have to commend him for betting on himself to prove he is still more than a proven/capable future NFL starter.
I’m a big fan of Morgan. Especially the value you’re going to get in drafting him if he can outlast that injury from the 2022 season.
For more 2024 draft profiles check out Laiatu Latu, Cooper DeJean, Jordan Travis and more at Defiant Takes Football!
