6/3/2021 football Edit

Four-star quarterback MJ Morris commits to NC State

Justin H. Williams • TheWolfpackCentral

Staff Writer

Four-star quarterback MJ Morris announced his commitment to NC State Thursday per his Twitter account.

The 6-1, 192-pound signal caller from Pace Academy in Atlanta, Ga. is the second Wolfpack commitment, and the first four-star, of the program's 2022 class.

Morris is a nationally sought-after recruit that held offers from notable programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Michigan, Oregon, Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech, among several others. His final three ultimately came down to NC State, Georgia Tech and Nebraska.

He's ranked No. 196 overall and No. 5 among dual-threat quarterbacks nationally in the 2022 class according to Rivals. He was also ranked No. 19 among recruits from the state of Georgia.

"I just felt it in my gut that it was the best place for me," Morris said. "Coach [Tim] Beck, Coach [Dave] Doeren and I, we’ve been going at this thing for a while. NC State is one of the schools that has been the most consistent with me, and they’ve been the most consistent with my parents too.

"Coach Beck, Coach Doeren and Coach Merci [Falaise], the director of player personnel, they talk to my mom at least three times a week, so of course that’s a big thing for her, she loves it."

NC State Wolfpack football MJ Morris — NC State quarterback commit MJ Morris is the fifth-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2022 class according to Rivals. (Mike Singer, Coman Publishing)

Prior to his junior season, Morris attended Carrollton (Ga.) High, where he appeared in multiple contests as a freshman and became the team's every-game starter in his sophomore campaign.

In his freshman season, he completed 47.7 percent of his passes for 466 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for 342 yards (11.0 yards per carry) and four touchdowns.

In 2019, his sophomore season, Morris completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 2,186 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 379 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns.

"I feel like I can go down there to NC State and get developed," Morris said. "Coach Beck can develop me to be the quarterback I want to be with the dream of being a first-round draft pick. Those are the main things that brought me to NC State.

"I was planning on committing a week-and-a-half ago, but I just wanted to wait a little bit longer. I felt the time was right, I felt NC State was the place for me. So I called Coach Beck and Coach Doeren, and it was a great feeling to commit, to be committed, and to tell them and see their excitement.

"It’s just a great feeling in my heart, I feel like I really made the best choice for me. I was with my mom when I did it, and it was just a great day. I felt so relieved, and now I can just focus on my senior season."

Morris attended an open practice at NC State on his own on April 8th, and his comfort level during his trip to Raleigh played a big role in his decision.

"When we went down there for a visit, it really felt like home," Morris said. "I went to some other places, but they never really made me feel the way NC State made me feel.

"I call NC State 'quarterback university' (QBU). Russell Wilson was there, Philip Rivers, Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Finley. Coach Doeren has put so many quarterbacks in the NFL, and they got that extension. We’re all going to be there for the next four years. They’ve got great stability there.

"Wolfpack fans are going to get the hardest-working quarterback you can ever find. I love to compete. Nobody in the country is going to out-work me. I’m going to go in there and work my ass off every day until I can’t anymore. That’s what they’re getting out of me."