NFF National Scholar-Athletes
LB - 3.66 GPA – Kinesiology
Head Coach: Sam Pittman | Athletics Director: Hunter Yurachek
Faculty Athletics Representative: Gerald Jordan
A shining example of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, Grant Morgan has already completed his master's degree and earned All-America status after beginning his career as a walk-on. The Greenwood, Arkansas, native becomes Arkansas' fifth NFF National Scholar-Athlete.
After graduating in August 2019 with a 3.66 GPA in kinesiology, Morgan earned his master's in operations management in 2020. The four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member has been named to the Arkansas Chancellor's and Dean's lists.
This season, the two-year team captain ranks second at Arkansas and fifth in the SEC with 96 tackles. Morgan has also racked up seven tackles for loss, a half-sack and an interception while leading the bowl-eligible Razorbacks to a 8-4 regular-season record, their most wins in a regular season since 2011 (10). He posted a season-high 13 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in the Hogs' upset of then-No. 15 Texas in September. He also led the team to victories in three trophy games in 2021, marking the first time in school history the Hogs have gone 3-0 against Texas A&M, LSU and Missouri. Morgan is one of three finalists for the 2021 Burlsworth Trophy, which honors the best FBS player who began his career as a walk-on. Arkansas now awaits its bowl destination.
A 2020 Second Team All-American, Morgan produced one of the greatest seasons in Arkansas history after finishing tied for the nation's lead in tackles per game (12.3) and posting an SEC-leading 111 total tackles. A 2020 First Team All-SEC selection, he was named the Bronko Nagurski National Player of the Week following Arkansas' win against Ole Miss in which he posted a career-high 19 tackles and also returned an interception for a touchdown. The 2020 Burlsworth Trophy finalist led the Hogs to a berth in last year's Texas Bowl, but the game was canceled due to the pandemic. In 2020, Morgan was the only FBS player to post six games with at least 12 tackles, and he became the first SEC player to record two games with at least 19 tackles since 2012.
A member of the 2020 SEC Community Service Team, Morgan has been a student-athlete representative on the Athletic Department Executive Board and a Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader since 2018. He has served on the SEC Football Leadership Council since 2018, and he is a five-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, serving as its vice president since 2019. The chair of the HOGSPYS, the annual event highlighting the success and achievements of Arkansas athletics, Morgan has volunteered his time with the Special Olympics, Razorback Day, 7Hills Homeless Shelter and children's and veteran's hospital visits.
