The Eagles are giving Davon Morgan a second chance in the NFL.
Not that Morgan really had a legitimate first chance.
The first time around, the defensive back out of Virginia Tech felt short-changed. After going unselected in the 2011 NFL draft, Morgan latched on with the New York Jets as a free agent.
But after the lockout stole a crucial chunk of training camp prep time for all rookies, the 6-foot, 189-pound Richmond, Va. native was released during the final wave of roster cuts.
“After being released, it was really tough,” Morgan told CSN's Derrick Gunn on Tuesday during the Eagles' first OTAs of the offseason. “I had never been cut before in my life. I was always a top-tier guy. I kind of was down in the dumps for a while, and I had to refocus myself.”
Morgan’s focus and hard work led him back into professional football in 2013, when he signed with the Richmond Raiders of the Professional Indoor Football League. While many guys may have felt above the opportunity, Morgan knew it was a way to show the scouts he could still play at a high level.
“I did that, honestly, for the film, not for the money because you don’t get paid a lot,” he said.
NFL
This past spring when schools were holding pro days to showcase NFL hopefuls, Morgan reached back to some old connections and participated with the Hokies.
The move paid off. At 25 years old, the NFL came knocking again when the Eagles invited him to try out at the team’s rookie camp.
“You know what they say, luck is preparation meeting opportunity," Morgan said. “I just was well-prepared and I was ready.”
And he wasn’t about to let his second chance at the NFL slip away. Morgan impressed Chip Kelly and the team’s staff to earn his way onto the Eagles’ 90-man roster.
Even with a spot on the roster, nothing is guaranteed. Morgan knows this as well as anyone, so don’t expect him to let up on the focus and hard work that has gotten him this far. If this second chance doesn’t pan out, there may not be a third.
“At the end of the day, you’re the author of your book,” Morgan said. “The direction of your life, where you want it to go, you’re the author.
“I wanted to play football. That’s what I wanted to do, and that’s what I feel is going to be best for me, my family and my community.”