Illinois LB Coach Grant Morgan garners interest from one NFL team

Grant Morgan was a standout inside linebacker for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He earned numerous honors at the collegiate level but went undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft.

After a brief stint on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad, Morgan joined the Illinois Fighting Illini as a graduate assistant. He has since thrived as an assistant linebackers coach — so much so that an NFL team is showing interest in hiring him.

According to Matt Zenitz, the New York Giants have shown interest in hiring Morgan, who is likely to accept the offer and start his professional coaching career on Brian Daboll’s staff.

Grant is a well-known name in college football circles after recording 313 tackles with the Arkansas Razorbacks. He has since gone on to thrive as an assistant linebackers coach with the Fighting Illini, and his knowledge has translated well to the team’s defensive success.

During the 2024 college football season, Illinois posted a 10-3 record, powered by one of the nation’s top defenses. The Giants will be looking for a similar defensive improvement in the 2025 season.

How did Illinois perform in 2024?

The Illinois Fighting Illini opened the 2024 season with four straight wins, including an impressive overtime victory against Nebraska, holding the Cornhuskers to 24 points.

However, Illinois suffered its first loss the following week, falling by two scores to Penn State. In hindsight, the defeat doesn’t look so bad, as the Nittany Lions advanced deep into the expanded College Football Playoff.

Illinois responded with key wins over Purdue and Michigan. The victory over the Wolverines was particularly noteworthy, as Michigan was ranked in the Top 25 at the season’s midway point.

The Fighting Illini were brought back to earth with consecutive losses to Oregon and Minnesota. However, those would be their final defeats, as they closed out the season with four straight wins.