J.J. McCarthy says Tyler Morris will ‘make a big name for himself this year’

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is pleased with the progress of the entire wide receiver room. However, there’s one wideout that McCarthy’s known for a long while and could be in line for a breakout season.

“Tyler Morris, he’s gonna make a big name for himself this year,” McCarthy told the media on Monday. “Have had that connection built since my sophomore year in high school. He’s gonna do great things.”

McCarthy and Morris played together at Nazareth Academy in Illinois before McCarthy played his final season of high school ball at IMG Academy in Floria. Morris had 68 receptions, 1,237 yards and 17 touchdowns while playing with McCarthy at quarterback back in 2019. Morris was ultimately a four-star prospect in the class of 2022 and has now been reunited with McCarthy for over a year.

While Morris didn’t see the field a ton as a freshman, he appeared in eight contests and caught three receptions for 25 yards.

McCarthy said that he and Morris go back to eighth grade and their freshman year of high school, playing seven-on-seven together.

“That’s a special connection to me,” McCarthy said. “That’s my guy. That’s my day one.”

McCarthy’s goal is to have the same chemistry he has with Morris with everyone, but with Morris, “It’s just like that. It’s money.”

“It’s one of those things where I feel I could close my eyes and throw the ball and I know where he’s gonna be out of his break,” McCarthy noted.

With former Michigan WR Ronnie Bell now in the NFL, other Michigan receivers have a chance to rise up the depth chart and receive a major uptick in snaps. And Morris could be one of those guys. Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson will be atop the depth chart, but players like Morris, as well as Peyton O’Leary, Darrius Clemons, freshman Fredrick Moore, and others, will be competing for playing time.

The good news for Morris is Michigan has a quarterback that not only believes in him but feels he can throw it to him on the money with his eyes closed. That sounds like a special connection.