Starting a right tackle for Nolwakai School, Number 55, DJ Morrell!
The 662-way lineman has already gotten buzzed from top D1 school.
Starting a right guard for Old Dominion, Number 78, DJ Morrell!
Behind the line led by DJ Morrell, the Monarchs lead the FCS in offensive.
Look, look, after shutting down Aaron Donald...
DJ Morrell is hoping to be the first ODU player drafted in the NFL.
Nolwakai School has signed offensive lineman DJ Morrell to the practice squad for the 2014 season.
Everything was going well. Coaching staff were positive about me being with the offensive line.
It was like my dreams here.
2015 comes around and a whole new coaching staff comes in.
Buffalo Bills are making a splash with the hiring of his new head coach Rex Ryan.
This thing on because it's getting ready to be on and that's the truth.
Before the season began, I got a call. I was released.
My name is DJ Morrell. I'm 66325, all of its alignment, a free agent for the National Football League.
I found out real quick that it's a very cutthroat business.
It was the first time I'd been home in about almost seven years.
I didn't know what to do, how to come home and see people, knowing what happened.
I felt very, you know, almost insecure about myself.
Maybe he doesn't want to do anything else besides play the game of football for the rest of his life.
That's his whole life, his football. His whole life.
People ask, you know, why haven't you moved on? You could be a coach. You have a degree in exercise science.
You could train people. I just don't think quitting is an option.
When I was in college, I've really gotten into a car accident that changed my life.
I basically chose a friend's birthday over going to see my brother's game.
That had made me be in a wheelchair and never walk again for the rest of my life.
That accident made him a quadriplegic.
There was days where I wanted to pack it in and, you know, I cried and stuff.
I said, how am I going to get through this one now?
He always felt that he was the lucky one because his brother didn't enjoy the same things that he could enjoy.
DJ and Brian growing up, they shared a bedroom and they inspired one another.
Brian inspired DJ to work harder because of his illness and what he went through.
And vice versa, Brian's doing well because he was seeing what DJ was doing.
I've always protected people. Being alive in high school was second nature to me.
Protected quarterback, protect the bow.
But he was more than just big. Nobody had his heart. Nobody had his desire.
He wanted to be great.
It was then I realized this is what I meant to do with my life.
My brother's here constantly right now to help me and guide me and move me place to place if I ever need him.
Right now it's fine, but do I want him home? No.
Do I rather see him on a team as of tomorrow? Most definitely.
People told me after week four, if you don't get the call, it's not coming. Give up.
I told DJ when life throws you down, get back up.
I trained to show Brian when life gets tough, get tougher.
I pushed myself and my family for the people who believed in me when it looked like it was over.
I don't want him to go through life wondering what if.
So that's why I hope and pray that he'll get that one more chance.
And if he does, I think he'll knock the door down.
People don't see this side of the business.
What you don't see is the work that some of these guys put in.
Someone like DJ puts in.
Every morning I get up, I pay attention to the waiver wire, the transactions,
and I still see the same guys get opportunity after opportunity.
I'm over here in Connecticut working two jobs, waiting for a phone call.
My brother Brian has been dealing with an oversized heart his whole life.
Constantly seeing doctors, a triple bypass surgery, a car accident that left him a quadriplegic.
I've been through obstacles in my life, big ones, life changing ones.
My brother fights for his life every day.
The least I can do is fight for mine.
