Gophers QB Tanner Morgan selected No. 8 overall by Michigan Panthers in USFL Draft

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team’s all-time winningest quarterback is going to try to take his game to the next level.

Tanner Morgan on Tuesday was selected with the No. 8 overall pick in the USFL Draft by the Michigan Panthers. The former Gophers quarterback was one of 80 college players selected over 10 rounds. He made 47 starts for Minnesota over six seasons, and finished 33-14 in the process. He leaves the Gophers as the program’s all-time leader in wins.

Morgan helped lead the Gophers to a historic 11-2 season in 2019, one which ended with a 31-24 win over Auburn in the Outback Bowl. Morgan set single-season school records in 2019 in passing yards (3,253) and touchdowns (30). He set a school record in 2022, completing 66.9 percent of his passes.

Morgan will leave Minnesota with 9,454 career passing yards, second-most in school history. Morgan started nine games in 2022, missing three due to concussions, and finished with 1,382 passing yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

The Gophers beat Syracuse 28-20 in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium to finish 9-4 for the second straight year, and for the third time in the last four seasons, Minnesota had at least nine wins.

With Athan Kaliakmanis injured in the first half of the bowl game, Morgan went 4-of-7 passing for 58 yards and two touchdowns, both to Daniel Jackson.