GRAYSON, Ga. (BVM)‌ ‌–‌ Dashaun Morris II is a football and track phenom, following in the footsteps of his father who was a star football player at Delaware State University and his sister who was a multiple-time champion in distance events in track and field. It’s not a stretch to say that talent and success runs in the family. 

“I was always known for my hard work,” Morris II said. “It’s just in my DNA to never quit and I noticed that a lot of people respected that.

Even though Morris II is only 10 years old, he has already gained attention from colleges. Morris’ speed, quick twitch and technique gained him the nickname “Flash” and caught the attention of the University of South Florida and others. Morris II was even able to take a tour of their facilities in Tampa Bay.

Although there’s a long road ahead for Morris II who hasn’t even made it to middle school yet, he’s already a standout for football recruiters. Not only that, but he has gained a large following on social media, one of those being Instagram, where he currently has 126,000 followers. 

On Instagram he shows his highlights for football on the Trauma Unit 10-and-under team, photos with elite athletes that he’s had the chance to work with, his track races with the Jackrabbit team and more. 

Morris II has great talent in both track and field and football, but he seems to have gained a greater interest in playing football, as it was his first sport. He started playing football at 6 years old, but decided to try track to increase his speed. “I started [running] because I wanted to get faster for football and when I really started putting more time into track, I realized that this is a sport that I will be really good at due to how fast I was,” Morris II said.

As a safety, there’s no doubt that his speed and agility from running track transfers over to aid him in football. No matter what his ultimate decision is in what sport he will play in college, he will likely continue to train in track so that he retains his speed over time. 

Morris II said, “I think I can do both but if I had to choose one I would say football because I can do more things in football and I can be more effective and in track all you can do is run straight, not saying I don’t like track I’m just saying I think I can do more in football.”

It’s clear that Morris’ first love will always be football, just like his father’s who he shares the same name with. There’s no doubt that he will follow and improve his father’s legacy.

“My dad was really good [at football] and I thought that if he was great I could be greater,” Morris II said.

As crazy as it sounds for such a young athlete, Morris II has already selected his top five dream schools to attend once he graduates in 2030. He hopes to either attend the University of Georgia, Penn State, Jackson State, Clemson or LSU.

With all the success comes media attention. Sometimes the fame and pressure can be overwhelming, but with the help of his father, Morris II is able to keep his head up and gain the maturity he needs to stay on top. 

“It’s been fun,” said Morris II. “I never get big headed and when I see all the new opportunities coming, it pushes me to another level and I love when the pros notice me; it just makes me feel good.”

Along with supporters come haters. Social media can be mean at times, especially for young, vulnerable users. Morris II has a buffer, his father, to help him disseminate and filter through all the hate. Although Morris’ father runs his son’s Instagram account, some hate gets through to Morris, whether online or in person. 

In response to this, Morris said, “I get a lot of hate but my dad and I are not the type of people to just ignore it. There’s times to let it be and times to check it and I think my dad and I do great at that and I never let it get to me. I just do what I do best and that’s motivating other people and working to my max.”

The future looks very bright for Morris II and even though some may think all the fame and pressure is a lot for someone of his age, Morris II assures everyone that he’s relishing every moment. 

Morris said, “I know people think I’m forced to do this stuff, but I enjoy it. It might not sound true but this journey has been a blast and I love everything that has happened.”