Report: Patriots ‘Closely Vetting’ This Under-The-Radar QB Prospect

The New England Patriots will have to find a quarterback this offseason. Tom Brady signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Patriots one of the few teams “close vetting” Florida International quarterback James Morgan ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. This was confirmed by Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Morgan spent his collegiate career between Bowling Green and FIU. He played two seasons at each. The quarterback was able to complete 65.3 percent of his passes, averaged 8.4 yards per attempt and threw for 26 touchdowns with seven interceptions as a junior in 2018. His numbers slipped in 2019. Morgan completed 58.0 percent of his passes with a 7.2 yards-per-attempt average, 14 touchdowns and five picks.

After the season, the quarterback saw some action in the East-West Shrine Game and received the Pat Tillman Award. This award is given annually to the Shrine Game participant who “best exemplifies character, intelligence, sportsmanship and service.”

“An area scout based in the Southeast said that Morgan has one of the three strongest arms in the draft and praised him for his intelligence and leadership,” Wilson wrote.

The Patriots consider vetting a QB

Morgan can’t brag with the ultimate athleticism. He ranked last among quarterbacks in the three-cone drill (7.51), second-to-last in the short shuttle (4.64 seconds) and in the bottom half in the 40 and both jumps at the NFL Scouting Combine. Morgan finished with negative rushing yards in each of his four collegiate campaigns.

“It’s easy to tell that the Green Bay native favors quarterbacks like Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers when you watch his tape. Unfortunately, while he has similar zip to the Packer legends, he’s nowhere near as accurate and lacks any semblance of touch. Morgan is very capable of making impressive throws to all areas of the field, but his violent release and inconsistent footwork hinder functional ball placement and accuracy. His lack of pocket mobility and instincts make him too easy for defensive coordinators to assault with a variety of blitz packages. He’s a tough guy with a big arm and the 2018 tape is the one to watch, but QB3 may be his ceiling.”

The Patriots need to find a replacement for Brady. The organization will probably sign at least one veteran to compete with rookie Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler. Will they draft another quarterback?

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