Miami Hurricanes Football: Where Are They Now? Dan Morgan

Anytime I think of great Miami Hurricane linebackers, Dan Morgan pops into my head almost instantly. 

He may not have been the flashiest or the best that Miami has ever had, but his collegiate stats say he may have been one of the best linebackers to ever play.

Morgan was born and raised in Clifton Heights, Penn., where he would play his freshman season at Upper Darby High School.

He and his family would move his sophomore year to Coral Springs, Fla., where he would continue his football career with J. P. Taravella High School.

Morgan was a very athletic kid that would eventually play tailback, linebacker and safety positions.

After a successful high school career, Morgan would choose to play his college ball at the University of Miami.

He made an immediate impact at Miami, as he became the first true freshman to start at linebacker since Ray Lewis.

Morgan ended his freshman year with 105 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. Sporting News selected Morgan on the Second Team Freshman All-American team.

The very next year, Morgan would continue his dominance on the field being the only sophomore on the Butkus Award watch list, honoring the best linebacker in the country. 

Morgan ended his sophomore season with 150 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two sacks. He was selected to the first-team All-Big East team.

Morgan's junior season was more of the same. He continued his high level of play despite breaking his thumb early in the season. He recorded 139 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks and three forced fumbles.

He had such a great season, he was a Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) and Bronko Nagurski Award (best overall defensive player) semifinalist. He would also be voted to the Second Team All-Big East team.

Morgan's senior season was where he would prove to everyone he was the best linebacker in the country by becoming the first player in history to win college football's three top defensive awards, the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker), the Bednarik Award (nation's top defensive player by the Maxwell Football Club) and the Nagurski Award (most valuable defensive player in the country).

Besides the awards, Morgan was also a consensus All-American pick and the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and was voted on the First Team All-Big East team.

Morgan ended his senior year with 138 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four sacks, a forced fumble and two interceptions.

After an unbelievable college career, Morgan would get drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft (11th overall).

Morgan's NFL career was short-lived, only playing seven years.  Although it was short, he was still able to have a pretty solid career, finishing with 386 tackles, seven sacks and five interceptions.

Morgan was also voted to the All-Pro team and voted to the Pro Bowl after the 2004 season.

What hurt his career in the NFL was a slew of injuries, including an Achilles tendon injury in 2007 that pretty much ended his career.

He tried out for the New Orleans Saints in 2008, but suffered a calf injury and decided to retire from the NFL on June 8, 2008.

Although Morgan didn't have the best career in the NFL, there is no doubt in my mind that he will go down as one of the best linebackers to ever play college football.

He was a true definition of what a linebacker was supposed to be: mean, hard-nosed and an extremely talented tackler.  What Morgan didn't have for speed, he made up for it with his ability to get to the ball.

Morgan was inducted into the University of Miami's Hall of Fame in 2011 and should be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame one day.

Morgan is currently a scout for the Seattle Seahawks and does various charity work.