Sixth-rounder Morgan looks like steal for 49ers

By Jeff Dickinson  |   Tuesday, August 19, 2008  |  Comments( 12 )

San Francisco 49ers
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Every spring as the NFL draft approaches, there is always at least one project player whom some teams are wary of. No, we're not referring to injured prospects who are trying to return to full health; rather, we're talking about the future NFLers who can leap out of the combine and bench press a small car.

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Josh Morgan is a perfect example. Second all time among receivers in Virginia Tech history with 122 catches, Morgan possesses great talent; what's more, he's fast, having posting a 4.47-second 40-yard dash time at the combine. Morgan also has the size (just over 6 feet, 220 pounds) to get physical with the NFL's toughest defensive backs.

Certainly a lack of ability isn’t the reason Morgan fell to the sixth round in April's draft, then.

In reality, some poor choices and a run-in with the police is what caused Morgan to slip to the Niners late during the draft's second day. In today’s NFL, a league policed by a stern commissioner who's trying to convey to the public a great image for the players, character has become almost as important as performance.

And Morgan is out to prove to the 31 teams that passed on him in the draft that they were wrong. It's only two games into San Francisco's preseason, but Morgan is doing nothing but impressing 49ers coaches and fans.

Thanks to injuries to fellow receivers Arnaz Battle, Bryant Johnson and Ashley Lelie, Morgan has seized his opportunity and is making offensive coordinator Mike Martz think twice about this year's wideout depth chart.

In the 49ers’ preseason opener against Oakland, there wasn’t a whole lot of offensive success to speak of. The Raiders held the 49ers to six points, but Morgan still had a fine evening, amassing four catches and 68 yards.

Morgan followed up that performance with an even better showing last week against Green Bay. In San Francisco’s 34-6 win, Morgan had five receptions for 114yards and a 59-yard touchdown.

It remains to be seen whether Morgan will remain as focused off the field as he has been on it; presently, though, the 49ers are definitely glad that they took a chance on the ex-Hokie in the draft.

If he continues to play the way he has thus far, Morgan could go from project to starter.

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About Jeff Dickinson

I have been writing and editing professionally for 18 years. I spent the first three years of my career as a sportswriter for a daily newspaper in Alabama and got to cover sports and get paid for it! It was great until I got married and then it wasn't too much fun being away from my wife every ...
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