EAST ORANGE/IRVINGTON, NJ — NFL teams began their training camps recently, and there are a few notable Irvington and East Orange natives who are on NFL teams.
Irvington High School alumnus Raheem Morris is in his second year as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. It was a great debut season for Morris last season, as the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl. Morris, a 1994 Irvington High School graduate, was previously the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three seasons, from 2009 to 2011. He also was an interim head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020.
Irvington’s Al-Quadin Muhammad, a defensive lineman, signed with the Chicago Bears in March after playing for the Indianapolis Colts for the past four seasons, following his rookie season with the New Orleans Saints in 2017. Muhammad played at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey and at the University of Miami. He was drafted by the Saints in the sixth round in the 2017 draft.
Rasul Douglas, a 2012 East Orange Campus High School graduate, is entering his second year with the Green Bay Packers. The cornerback was selected in the third round of the 2017 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles after playing at the University of West Virginia. In his rookie season, he helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl title when they defeated the New England Patriots. After three seasons with the Eagles, Douglas played for the Carolina Panthers in 2020.
Jabrill Peppers, a safety, will be playing in his first year with the Patriots. Peppers was drafted in 2017 in the first round by the Cleveland Browns after a stellar career at the University of Michigan, where he was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. After two seasons with the Browns, Peppers was traded to the New York Giants. He played for the Giants for three seasons before signing with the Patriots in April.
In high school, Peppers played at Don Bosco Prep, where he helped the team to consecutive undefeated state championship seasons as a freshman and sophomore in 2010 and 2011. He then attended Paramus Catholic, where he led the team to state titles in his junior and senior seasons. Peppers also was a standout track athlete. He won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at both the 2013 and 2014 state outdoor Meet of Champions.
Photos Courtesy of the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots.
Photo of Rasul Douglas, by Steve Ellmore.
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