As most people in the Redskins community know already, the Redskins have struck gold this season as it pertains to the play of their rookies. Number two overall pick Robert Griffin III is having a rookie season for the ages, and sixth-round draft pick Alfred Morris is having perhaps the best season a rookie running back has ever had in DC.
Morris has 982 rushing yards on the season, just 82 yards short of the Redskins rookie record held by Reggie Brooks. Morris will also become the first Redskins running back to gain 1000 yards since 2008 with just 18 more yards on the ground. With twenty-eight more carries Morris will break the Redskins team record for carries in a season by a rookie. Currently, Mike Thomas owns that record after carrying the ball 235 times in 1975.
Alfred Morris has four 100 yard rushing games this season, and no Redskins rookie has ever recorded five. Clinton Portis was the last running back to record more than four 100-yard games in one season (six in 2008). Portis rushed for 1,487 yards and nine touchdowns that year. Morris is on pace to rush for 1,428 yards and nine touchdowns.
It’s hard to believe a talent like Alfred Morris was allowed to slip into the sixth round of any draft after seeing him tear the gridiron up this year. Morris has spent the entire year in the top five of the NFL for rushing yards and has six touchdowns as well to go with a 4.6 yards per carry average.
Morris had this quote during an interview with NFL Network’s “Around The League” earlier this week.
“I believe in myself,” Morris said. “My work ethic is ridiculous. Me, just as a person, I know what I’m capable of doing. I chose the path less traveled. Not many people could have chose the path to go to [Florida Atlantic] and be able to come into the NFL and do what I’ve done. Nothing I’ve ever gotten on my path was given — I’ve earned everything. And I know how to go out there and earn it, set goals and attain my goals. Just my sheer work ethic and my heart — you can’t measure a man’s heart, and I have a whole lot of heart.”
When asked if he expected to contribute immediately when he was drafted by the Redskins in April he responded by saying:
“Yes I did, but I just didn’t think my opportunity was going to come as soon as it did,” he said. “I thought maybe around the fifth, sixth game, I was going to get to roll in, maybe get in there and get some snaps and start working my way up the depth chart. If you had asked me would I be the starter at the beginning of the year, if I told you ‘Yeah,’ it would be a lie.”
The full interview can be found here ——>>> Alfred Morris on NFL Network’s “Around the League.”
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