Oklahoma OL Wanya Morris suffers apparent injury during 40-yard dash at NFL Combine
In an unfortunate scene at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, former Oklahoma offensive tackle Wanya Morris went down with what looked like a pulled hamstring.
Morris was in the middle of his second attempt at the 40-yard dash. He was trucking along looking to out-do his first attempt, and looked like he was going to shatter it. Then, he went down in pain, which everyone from the commentary booth to the other offensive lineman felt.
Afterwards, Stacy Dales of NFL Network provided an update on Morris’ status following his injury.
“He told me he lunged, he took a step in his stride and the right hamstring buckled on him,” stated Dales. “He just came out of medical, I just spoke with him. He think he’ll be able to go on his Pro Day at OU on March the 30th, but he didn’t really know how severe it was. He still had a smile on his face, but just wanted to give you guys an update.”
That’s good news that Morris seems to be in good spirits, and hopefully he’ll be able to run once again at his Pro Day.
Moreover, Morris wrote a lengthy note when he declared for the 2023 NFL Draft earlier this offseason, which he shared on his Twitter page.
“First and foremost I want to thank God for this opportunity because without him none of this would be possible,” Morris wrote in his announcement. “Thank you to my mom and all my family and friends for your unwavering support. Thank you to Coach Riley and the past staff for allowing me to be a part of this program. Thank you to Coach Venables and his staff for helping me get to this point, but mostly thank you to Coach Pruitt and Tennessee for giving me the chance to get this far.
“These past four years haven’t been easy at all, but everyone of you have helped me mature into a better man, player, and teammate. I am very thankful that you all decided to pour into my life. To my teammates, The bonds and memories we built will be cherished forever in my heart. You guys are my extended family and I’m forever grateful to you for being there for me. After discussing with my family, I will be opting out of the bowl game and declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft. Thank you, Wanya Morris #64“
More on the 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft takes place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event location this year is the plaza just outside of Union Station.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft broadcast runs throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.
To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. One hundred underclassmen gained approval for last year’s draft. Seventy-three of those 100 underclassmen received special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.
The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.
On3’s Wade Peery contributed to this article.