Michigan football DT Mike Morris drafted by Seahawks in Round 5 of NFL draft
Mike Morris is headed to Seattle; he was taken No. 151 overall by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Morris, one-time a four-star prospect from Belle Glade, Florida, waited his turn in Ann Arbor behind a host of NFL edge rushers his first three seasons before 2022 became his time. Morris was named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year despite battling injuries and ended the regular season with 21 tackles including 10.5 for loss and 7.5 sacks.
He was the second straight U-M player — Heisman runner-up and No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson took home the honor in 2021 — to win the award and the program's sixth since its inception in 1991.
FAITH AND FAMILY: At long last, Michigan's Mike Morris is realizing his football dreams
It was a long time coming for Morris, who did not see game action as a freshman and appeared in just one contest as a sophomore, where he made his first collegiate tackle in an otherwise forgettable COVID-19 shortened 2020 season. U-M went just 2-4.
He thought 2021 would be his time, but Hutchinson opted to return and had the greatest season of any defensive end in U-M history. Opposite him was David Ojabo, who would've also been a first round selection following the season had he not torn his Achilles at pro day.
It didn't leave much room for Morris to shine, though he did come onto the scene when he appeared in all 14 games and recorded 16 tackles (one for loss) and one interception.
"Coming out of high school, you have a plan," Morris told the Free Press last fall. "Freshman year, I’m going to play a bit and make the travel squad. Sophomore year, I'm going to play even more. Junior year, we’re going to start and complete this accolade, break this record and then we’re going to go to the draft, first round, get paid, play in the NFL.
"But then you realize all of that’s fairy tale and really wasn’t God’s plan."
In 2022, he was the leader in the edge room. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound edge had five sacks in his first five games and 7.5 in his first eight. But late in a lopsided game against Nebraska he got rolled up on, suffered an ankle injury and was never fully healthy again.
He sat the following week vs. Illinois, then tried to return vs. OSU, but could only manage 11 snaps before he was forced to miss the rest of the game and the following week's Big Ten Championship. He returned for the Fiesta Bowl vs. TCU where he said he was "95%" and had two tackles in the 51-45 loss.
At the end of 2022, Morris was seen as a rising second-day draft selection, but he had a particularly tough day at the NFL combine where he ran a 4.95 40-yard dash and his stock began to fall.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football's Mike Morris drafted by Seattle, Round 5, NFL draft
