Lethbridge's Nathan Morris, sporting the #1 jersey, is taking part in NFL Academy drills. (Photo: NFL Academy)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge man attending UK-based NFL Academy

Aug 28, 2025 | 1:09 PM

A man who was crowned last year as the Lethbridge Sport Council’s Junior Male Athlete of the year is taking the next step on his journey to playing professional football.

Nathan Morris has been attending the NFL Academy in Loughborough, UK, for a little over one month now.

It is an elite football development program for student-athletes, based out of facilities including Loughborough University’s Powerbase.

The 18-year-old running back says the level of talent and training is beyond anything he has experienced before.

“In Canada, it was a lot easier, but here, everything just comes faster. I feel like the defensive line just comes faster and everything. I’m just learning how to just be OK with taking one or two yards as opposed to making a big play every time,” says Morris.

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He continues, “I’ve played football since Grade 9, but I’ve just never seen something this hard, in my journey, at least. We have a pretty structured schedule, so every day is just football, football, football, and just getting better every day. It’s really good development.”

In addition to standard on-field practices and games, students at the NFL Academy study film at least once per day and take part in classroom-based learning.

Morris was referred to the program by fellow Lethbridge Collegiate Institute (LCI) alumnus Tanner McLachlan, who currently plays for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals.

He spent his high school football career with the LCI Rams, where he was named the league’s MVP in 2024. The Lethbridge Sport Council also crowned him the Junior Male Athlete.

Morris tells LNN that those achievements helped to open the door for opportunities like this for him, and he is grateful that his hard work has been paying off.

His goal is to get signed to an NCAA Division 1 team, preferably in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), which is the highest level of college football.

From there, he says his dream team is the NFL’s Detroit Lions.

“I like how they have their running back right now and how they’re developed their two running backs,” explains Morris. “Jahmyr Gibbs is my favourite player and I just like how they use him in the offence. I like the offensive coordinator right now, he’s really smart.”

The NFL Academy is a two-year program.

Lethbridge’s Nathan Morris is taking part in NFL Academy drills. (Photo: NFL Academy)

Lethbridge’s Nathan Morris is taking part in NFL Academy drills. (Photo: NFL Academy)