# Morice Norris

Morice Norris Jr. (born September 27, 2000) is an American professional football cornerback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Orange Coast Pirates and Fresno State Bulldogs.

## Early life

Norris was born on September 27, 2000, and grew up in Fresno, California. He grew up playing basketball and continued playing the sport while attending Sanger Union High School. As a senior, he tried out for the football team, after having been convinced to do so by two of his childhood friends, Arron Mosby and Jalen Moreno-Cropper, both of whom later played in the NFL. In his only year with the football team, he played at cornerback and wide receiver and led the team in interceptions, while also setting a school record for longest touchdown. He opted to begin his college football career at the junior college level with Orange Coast College.

## College career

Norris committed to Orange Coast as it allowed him to play both football and basketball. While attending the school, he lived in a two-bedroom apartment with five teammates, "staking out a corner of the living room and making the best of it," according to The Fresno Bee. As a freshman on the football team in 2018, he appeared in seven games and posted 12 tackles with three pass breakups. However, near the end of the season, he "blew out his knee," although he was able to return for his 2019 sophomore season. He played eight games as a sophomore and recorded 23 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception.
After his two years of junior college football, Norris had no scholarship offers and only one offer as a preferred walk-on, with the New Mexico Aggies Greyhounds. He was not able to join the football team at first, due to the school reviewing his transcripts for admission, and the 2020 season was disrupted significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2021, New Mexico State withdrew their preferred walk-on offer. The Fresno Bee noted that after his offer was withdrawn, "Norris was in scramble mode."
Norris initially considered quitting the sport altogether. However, he called an assistant coach for the Fresno State Bulldogs, who informed him of a camp that was being held the following day. Norris said "I packed up everything I got in a new car" and drove to Fresno, driving 980 miles in 15 hours and arriving two hours before the camp took place, at 8:00 a.m. After impressing there, he was given a spot on the team as a walk-on.
Norris was ineligible to play in the 2021 season. He was awarded a scholarship prior to the 2022 season. That year, he started at nickelback in 12 games and made 57 tackles, 8.0 tackles-for-loss (TFLs), six pass breakups and a sack. After receiving a waiver by the NCAA to play a final season in 2023, Norris totaled 59 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 10 pass breakups and 3.5 sacks as a senior, being named second-team All-Mountain West Conference (MW) while starting all 13 games. He was a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy as best player who started as a walk-on and was invited to the College Gridiron Showcase.

## Professional career

Pre-draft measurables :
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
| 5 ft 10+1⁄4 in (1.78 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 31+3⁄4 in (0.81 m) | 9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | 4.56 s | 1.65 s | 2.60 s | 4.18 s | 6.96 s | 38.0 in (0.97 m) | 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m) | 10 reps |
| All values from Pro Day ||||||||||||
After going unselected in the 2024 NFL draft, Norris signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent. He was waived on August 14, 2024, due to an injury. Morris was re-signed to the team's practice squad on September 24. He was signed off the practice squad to the active roster on December 28.