ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — When 2026 five-star wide receiver Cederian Morgan committed to Alabama football, he did so in front of an NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver.
But Terrell Owens, an Alexander City native and Benjamin Russell High School player, like Morgan, is not one to revise history.
Advertisement
“Obviously (Morgan) has more talent, more (of a) skillset than I ever had coming out of high school,” Owens told the Tuscaloosa News.
On July 2, in front of friends and family in Alexander City, Morgan, the No. 1-ranked Alabama high school player in the 2026 recruiting class, made his lifelong dream a reality, committing to the Crimson Tide over Florida, Auburn, Colorado and Georgia.
And while Owens played college football at Chattanooga before his 15-season NFL career, it’s clear why a receiver like Morgan would gravitate to Alabama.
“The championships in itself, and just what they have done with a lot of athletes that have gone to Alabama,” Owens said. “You look at some of the greats, namely Julio Jones. And I think everybody sees Cederian and they see Julio Jones, and probably a bigger version of that and what he can do.”
Advertisement
At Alabama, Morgan, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound receiver, sees a coaching staff that can develop him into that “Julio Jones” weapon, starting with wide receiver coach JaMarcus Shephard who video called Morgan seconds after his commitment.
“When I first met (Shephard), he gave me all energy,” Morgan said. “And I feel like when I’m with him, he can bring out the best of me as a football player and as a person.”
The addition of Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, Morgan said, was just icing on the cake for his commitment, remembering how Grubb and head coach Kalen DeBoer developed multiple 1,000-yard receivers in their time together at Washington.
“We are going to be able to have that type of season again this year,” Morgan said.
Alabama football adds commitment from 2026 Alexander City 5-star wide receiver Cederian Morgan.
Cecily Lauderdale, Morgan’s mother, felt the energy from the Crimson Tide as they pursued her son. And while Morgan grew up an Alabama fan, she said the Crimson Tide staff made her and her family “family.”
Advertisement
“That ‘A’ in family, that’s for Alabama,” Lauderdale said. “Every time we went, we knew the whole staff. The connection, the coaches, how they can develop you to become better than just from where he at now, but to make him be a man that he need to be, to get him to the next level. He doesn’t really like to lose. Alabama don’t really lose. He like to win. A national championship is something really that he wants to do. I just felt like he couldn’t go wrong with Alabama.”
Morgan is Alabama’s 10th 2026 commitment since June 22, joining the likes of Georgia five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin and Alabama four-star running back Ezavier Crowell.
And once he teams up with Crowell and Griffin in Tuscaloosa, Morgan knows exactly the receiver he wants to be. He wants to bring the energy, to smile all he can and, simply, have fun, much like the NFL Hall of Fame receiver in attendance for his commitment.
“That’s mainly what my granny tells me,” Morgan said. “Just have fun because you only get to do it once. So I’m going to have fun, go out there and do what I do.”
Advertisement
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Terrell Owens feels Cederian Morgan is a perfect fit for Alabama football
