Ankeny Centennial running back JJ Morgan has verbally committed to play football for the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn.
St. Thomas went 7-5 this season, including a 20-13 victory at Drake on Nov. 8. The Tommies compete at the NCAA Division I FCS level as a member of the Pioneer Football League.
“I was looking at a lot of schools around the country, and it was a very hard decision to make!” said Morgan, who will join eight other Iowans currently on the Tommies’ roster. “But St. Thomas felt like the best fit for me not only as a football player, but as a young man as well!”
Morgan led the Jaguars to a 5-5 record last fall. He ran for 1,224 yards and 18 touchdowns on just 118 carries while also catching 22 passes for 222 yards and four more scores.
Morgan led Class 5A with an average of 10.4 yards per carry. He ranked third in rushing touchdowns, fourth in all-purpose yards (1,571), seventh in rushing yards and tied for eighth in total touchdowns (22).
Morgan was named to the Class 5A all-state first team by the Iowa Football Coaches Association. He was selected to the all-district first team and was also named the District 4 Offensive MVP.