PRAIRIE VIEW – A pair of Prairie View A&M football standouts are heading to Titletown.
Tight end Jordan Jones and quarterback Jalen Morton have each signed with the Green Bay Packers as undrafted free agents earlier this evening. The two were a part of one of the nation’s leading offenses.
“I am proud of these young men and how they will be representing Prairie View A&M University on the next level,” PVAMU Interim Athletic Director Alicia Pete said. “It’s always a good day to be a Panther and this is a great time for the athletic department and the University.”
Over the past two seasons, Prairie View A&M has seen five former players go on to the professional ranks.
“It’s an extremely great opportunity for these guys, and it speaks a lot to what we have going on within our program,” PVAMU Head Football Coach Eric Dooley said. “For the second straight year we have had players getting the opportunity to continue doing what they love. This speaks volumes about our coaching staff and what we have been able to accomplish in terms of not only honing in on their skills on the field, but staying on them academically as well.”
Jones was an explosive target in the Panthers’ third-ranked passing offense, hauling in 28 grabs for 497 yards, the latter figure ranking second among Prairie View A&M pass-catchers. The Frisco, Texas native hauled in 56 grabs for 963 yards and 11 touchdowns over his career, garnering all-conference honors in 2016 and 2019.
“Jordan is an exceptional athlete with great size and the ability to play multiple positions,” Dooley said. “He’s highly intelligent and already has his degree, which is a plus. Green Bay is going to find out that Jordan should have been drafted, but he will make the most of this opportunity.”
Morton established himself as one of the top playmakers in the SWAC, accounting for nearly 2,300 total yards of offense and 21 total touchdowns. The Arlington, Texas native threw for more than 1,800 yards with 15 scores in 2019, and his 230.1 yards per game figure was third-highest in the league despite playing in just eight games. For his career, Morton accounted for more than 5,000 passing yards, 1,500 rushing yards and 64 touchdowns.
“Jalen is a couple of weeks away from getting his degree in engineering, which speaks to his intelligence,” Dooley said. “He comes from an athletic family and is a guy that checks all the boxes as far as size, athleticism and ability to play the position and read defenses. He’s another one that should have been selected, but he’s going to come in and compete, and he’ll show he’s an extremely intelligent athlete.”
Morton was humbled by the opportunity, and the dynamic dual-threat said he couldn’t wait to get to work.
“It’s a great opportunity to be considered for their team, and it’s a chance to showcase what I’m able to do,” he said. “I’m happy, grateful and blessed. I can’t do anything but thank God, and at the end of the day I’m a Packer now. I’m ready to contribute to the team and culture with my talent and help us win games. I’m excited to learn about the offense and the Green Bay organization.”
The signal-caller said he hopes to use the opportunity as a proving ground to show that his fellow HBCU standouts deserve the chance to show what they’re capable of at the next level.
“First and foremost, this shines a light on HBCUs period,” Morton said. “Prairie View A&M produces productive Panthers, but hopefully this opens up a lane for other quarterbacks within the SWAC as well as at the HBCU level.”
Courtesy: PVAMU Athletics
