How Kadarius Toney's Background as a Quarterback Will Help Him in NFL
David Morris, a former college quarterback at Ole Miss and the founder of QB Country, has been around his fair share of outstanding quarterbacks.
Morris, whose Ole Miss college teammate Eli Manning ranks among his most famous clients, has also trained current Giants starter Daniel Jones, 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens, and Jacksonville quarterback Gardner Minshew, among others.
But he also had the chance to train a promising young quarterback whose career path through college took a very different turn.
That would be receiver Kadarius Toney, the New York Giants' first round draft pick.
Toney, of course, is the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, selected by the New York Giants, who traded down nine spots to pick the Florida product.
And oh yeah, Toney, a wide receiver, will primarily make his NFL living catching passes rather than throwing them.
Before making the switch to receiver, Toney, who became the first wide receiver out of Florida since Percy Harvin in 2009 to be drafted in the first round, was wowing people with his unique blend of athleticism.
Toney first caught Morris’ eye one summer when the youngster, who played his high school ball at Mattie T. Blount High School in Mobile, Alabama, attended the Manning Passing Academy, where Morris has served as a speaker.
“It was right after his sophomore year,” Morris told Giants Country by phone.
“The first time I saw him, there was a lot of people oohing and aahing, and I just saw this ball going like 80 yards over and over. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, is somebody throwing that?’”
Morris made his way through the crowd to Toney, and it was then he recognized the logo on the young man’s T-shirt.
“I was like, 'You go to Blount?' Blount is in Mobile, and that’s where I live and train and work," Morris said. "So he said, ‘Yeah, I do.’ So then I said, ‘Oh my gosh, we gotta get together.’ So that was the start of our relationship.”
At Blount, Toney threw for close to 3,000 yards and 32 touchdowns while adding 894 yards and 15 touchdowns as a rusher. And as Morris trained Toney throughout his high school career, Toney never ceased to amaze.
Not only count Toney chuck a ball deep down the field, making it look effortless, but he was also quick and fast on his feet. Morris said he saw Toney as a dual-threat on the football field and quickly became convinced that Toney was the best dual-threat quarterback to ever come out of Alabama's Mobile and Baldwin counties.
Check out the video at the top of the page featuring AllGators.com Publisher Zach Goodall who offers insight and a scouting report on Kadarius Toney.
If all that wasn’t enough, Morris recalled being impressed with Toney’s maturity and commitment to his craft and the world around him.
“He was always willing to do whatever it took to work hard, to give back,” Morris said.
“He was very involved in the community when he was in high school and is just a good kid.”
When Toney arrived at Florida, then-head coach Jim McElwain and his staff initiated a role change for Toney to receiver. They began by using Toney in the wildcat package and the slot.
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Five games into his sophomore season, Toney posted 225 total scrimmage yards (118 rushing, 107 receiving) and one touchdown on 23 touches.
But lest anyone think that Toney wasted the early years of his career at a position that no longer applies to him, Morris said there are numerous benefits the rookie can take from his quarterbacking days that will help his continued growth at wide receiver, a position he's played for about 3½ years.
“He knows how to look at a defense. He knows how to asset coverage. He knows how to understand when a defense is about to blitz, which might affect routes or timing and all these things,” Morris said.
“So yeah, I think given his quarterback background, he brings a little bit more of a general understanding about football than other positions.”
"I really feel like it helped me as far as learning plays, learning the offense, seeing things and defenses, and recognizing coverages on the run and on the move," Toney added during his introductory call with the Giants media last week. "I think it helped a lot in my game."
The Giants' offense has been crying out for playmakers, and Morris agreed that Toney is a playmaker. Toney certainly proved that in college.
Last season, Toney appeared in the top-10 in all of college football in multiple categories, including receptions 70, 7th place), receiving touchdowns (10, 7th place), and punt return touchdowns (1, 4th place).
On a slightly smaller scale, Toney’s senior season production in which he recorded 984 receiving yards on 70 catches with ten touchdowns; 161 rushing yards on 19 carries for one touchdown; 155 kickoff returns on seen tries; and 139 yards on 11 punt returns and one touchdown, put him in the top-10 of the SEC in receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, punt returns for touchdowns, kickoff returns, receiving touchdowns, punt return yardage, and yards from scrimmage.
It's no wonder why Morris believes that Toney, who joins a loaded Giants receivers room that includes Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, and John Ross, will be a big help to Jones.
“To have one more weapon is always a good thing,” Morris said. “A competitor like Kadarius, I think, will help build that kind of Giants culture and that tough and competitive mindset.
“Kadarius is a fierce competitor, and I think that just that mindset will do something that's good for any team.”
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