NFL Exec Says Money May Motivate Eagles Draft Pick Micah Morris amid Concerns About 'Work Ethic'

The Philadelphia Eagles may have gotten a steal in the sixth round after selecting Georgia's Micah Morris, though there were some concerns regarding his motivation.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, "Multiple veteran scouts believed Morris had some Day 1 features, but questions persisted about his work ethic in Athens. Luckily for Morris, the Eagles' SEC culture—six Alabama players and five Georgia on the roster—should help with accountability. "

"Once money's involved and you can be fined for showing up late, maybe he'll turn the corner," an NFC executive told Fowler. "But he's light on his feet, he's got bend, power, legit SEC starting guard."

Morris, 22, was ranked the No. 228 player on the B/R NFL Scouting Department's final big board and 28th among interior defensive linemen, with Brandon Thorne calling him a "massive, relatively inexperienced guard prospect with elite testing and solid movement skills that allow him to cover up and wall off defenders in space. However, high pads and rudimentary hand usage expose his frame and sap his ability to consistently generate power at the point of attack."

The Eagles tend to get the most out of the many SEC prospects they select, so Morris will be an interesting developmental project to monitor. Adding young depth to the offensive line was a major priority this offseason for the Birds, and Morris was a gamble worth taking so late into the draft.