In the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the 2020 college football season, Quintin Morris was able to make the most of his opportunity to shine.
With Bowling Green only being able to play five games this year due to the MAC significantly shortening their college football season, Morris didn’t have much time to further prove himself to NFL teams. However, he managed to impress in that short amount of time, playing well enough in a shortened schedule to warrant an invitation to the 2021 Senior Bowl.
Draft Wire spoke exclusively with Morris about his draft preparations, his transition from wide receiver to tight end, his background in basketball, and more.
JI: Congratulations on your invitation to the Senior Bowl. What does that invitation mean to you?
QM: It means everything. I think, for the most part, coming from the MAC and getting feedback from scouts, the biggest question is, “can he do it [against] higher competition?” So, it’s everything I wanted, and I just want the opportunity to go out there and show I could do it against the top athletes in the country.
JI: You’ve been able to excel as both a wide receiver and a tight end at Bowling Green. What was the hardest part about changing positions?
QM: Mostly from the blocking standpoint, just understanding some of the terminology, the techniques and stuff, how to block. At the end of the day, I was a receiver, and running routes is going to be running routes. Just learning stuff from a new perspective – almost like an [offensive] linemen’s perspective – and getting a hold of that part of the game.
JI: Bowling Green only got to play five games this year. How have you and your teammates been adjusting to this unprecedented season?
QM: It’s been pretty difficult. We have 42 . . . almost more than half our team was [made up of] freshmen this year, so I couldn’t even imagine how hard it was for them, especially with coming straight for high school, not really getting a true summer to be able to truly work, develop with the team with everything being Zoom calls. I’m sure it was hard for a lot of our young guys on my team. As an older guy – a senior – you can really navigate and help him as much [as you can], because it’s something that we’ve all never been through. You could only imagine leaving, coming from high school straight to college, and this is the first experience you get. Overall, it’s been trying to keep guys focused, and even though the season wasn’t what we wanted it to be, just remembering that, “Hey, we’re young, we still got some developing to do,” and just knowing that the team will have to be able to go into the next season and the offseason and just be able to attack.
JI: With you being a senior and the rest of your team being pretty young, how have you embraced this new role on your team?
QM: I think this season really tested a lot of guys’ leadership. Like I said, it’s a hard season. We got all the COVID things going on, the stop-and-start: you might have a season, you might not, you start again. Then, you got people you’re testing every week. Some days, you got all your team there, other days you don’t. Sometimes you got all your coaches, sometimes you don’t. It really just tested that lead role. With the season [ending] up being the way it was being, you only got, what, six games, and unfortunately, we got the last one (against Miami of Ohio) cancelled, and then not being able to win any games this year. It really just tested your leadership skills, being able to keep your team up in spirit and being able to say, “hey, we lost this one, we have our opportunities every week to come back and change the narrative and get a win”.
JI: How have you managed to keep your speed while adding on muscle in your transition to the tight end position?
QM: The biggest thing is trying to put on weight, and you want to make sure it’s healthy weight at the end of the day, so being able to eat and eat correctly, and at the same time, being able to develop your conditioning and speed with it to make sure you don’t lose a step. It’s a process. It takes having a good group of people around you: coaches, trainers, and things like that.
JI: You were a really good basketball player in high school. How has that background helped you as you’ve been preparing for the NFL draft?
QM: It definitely helps a lot. I played basketball since first grade, almost the same time I started playing football at a young age. I feel like basketball teaches you a lot of movements with your body that otherwise you probably wouldn’t get, just playing football. Just being able to play basketball for a major of my life allows me to move and jump, and you use some of those techniques, especially when you’re going up for a ball, whether it’s boxing out and understanding depth perception. Going up for a ball is almost like rebounding. It really helps, and I think that’s why you think of a lot of good tight ends these days, they almost all have a basketball background, and it helps them with their footwork and attacking the ball.
JI: All those things considered, what do you think is the most important trait to have for the tight end position?
QM: I would say, the way the league is moving today, just being a secure catcher, having the ability to secure the ball. Of course, you want to be able to block. I think, the way the game is moving, it’s almost like having a big receiver on the field. At the end of the day, you still want to be able to help in the run game. That’s the one thing George Kittle does really [well] that I think helps him in the play-action. I just want to be one of those tight ends that’s able to do both. When I’m on the field, it’s not like you could guess what’s going on. You have to sit there and definitely read the whole play out. You don’t want to have just one part of your game.
JI: How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?
QM: If I’m not working out or doing anything football, I love playing basketball. Of course, this year, with everything going on, especially with COVID, it’s been hard to be able to go somewhere and play some games. On top of that, just getting ready for this NFL process, it’s probably in my best interest to stay off a basketball court and not risk getting hurt, as much as I do love it. It’s hard to stay away. I like to play cards and board games, especially with my family and hanging out with friends. [I’m a] big video gamer.
JI: Who do you model your game after when you’re playing football? What about when you’re playing basketball?
QM: I’d probably say Travis Kelce, just as far as his game and size-wise. I know a lot of our offense mimics what the Kansas City Chiefs do with their tight ends, and I pretty much end up doing the same stuff. I watch a lot of film on him, and I see them run plays, and I see us doing it the next week in practice. It’s pretty cool. I like his game, and I think he probably best suits me because he gets used a lot in the pass game. When he’s out there, it’s just like having another receiver out there, and you’ve got to treat it the same. His run blocking and things like that are good. I think mine [is] good – it’s probably not the strongest part of my game. Like I said, I think that’s like what we have in common, but I think my game is more so flexing out and causing problems in the secondary.
It’s hard to think of a basketball [player]. I’d probably say Russell Westbrook. I can still shoot the ball, but at the end of the day, I like to attack the basket and really go up and try and dunk on people (laughs). Any athletic point guard that likes to attack the rim. It’s hard to navigate with basketball.
JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?
QM: One, you’ll be getting a good guy. I think that’s a common thing that’s been told to me – not trying to gas myself up – but I feel like I’m a guy you wouldn’t have to worry about getting in trouble, who’s going to do the right thing. I’m going to work hard, and the field will handle itself. I’m a confident player, especially going into the draft. I can really care less about where I get drafted or if I get drafted, because I’m confident in my game enough that, whenever I get on the field, I’m going to do whatever it takes to stand out.
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