Wayne's World: E-Hall football star in national spotlight this summer

Wayne Morgan is almost traveling as much this July as an AAU basketball player – only he’s actually the most sought-after football player in New York City for the Class of 2012.

The Erasmus Hall defensive back landed Monday night from Beaverton, Ore., home of Nike World Headquarters for an event called “The Opening.” The top 150 players in the nation converged there for the five-day event which featured training, drills, coaching and a 7-on-7 competition aired on ESPNU. On July 22, Morgan will leave for Orlando, Fla., for the ESPN RISE Champion Gridiron Kings 2011, a 7-on-7 tournament in which the top skill-position players in the country are invited.

Christina Santucci

Erasmus Hall's Wayne Morgan is competing in two national events this July.

“I’m really honored,” he said. “I just thank the Lord that I’ve been invited to stuff like this. The talent out there [in Oregon] was unbelievable. The players on my team were just unbelievable.”

Morgan’s 7-on-7 at Nike World Headquarters, Vapor Carbon, went to the championship game and he registered a 121.0 SPARQ rating, good enough for 11th overall at the camp. The 5-foot-11, 186-pound speedster ran a 4.49 40-yard dash. His stock is as high as it ever has been, even going back to when he ran a 4.4 at the USC Rising Star camp after his freshman year.

“It can help out a lot,” Morgan said of all the exposure. “It shows the colleges recruiting me that I am one of the top players in the nation.”

Morgan currently holds offers from Alabama, Miami, Rutgers, Syracuse and UConn, among others. Michigan offered him and wanted him to commit in June, but the decision was made to go on visits first and find the perfect fit. Morgan said he is still in touch with Wolverines coaches, so they are not completely off the board.

“Although he loved his trip to Michigan, he just felt like he wanted to take his time and make a decision with knowing everything,” Erasmus coach Danny Landberg said. “This is a life-changing experience.”

Morgan said he wants to definitely visit Alabama and Miami, as well as California and South Carolina. The latter two have not offered yet, but Landberg expects many more schools to come on board with all the attention he’s received lately.

“The 40 time can’t be denied,” Landberg said. “That’s what these people want to see.”

The coach thinks that Morgan competing in these two national events will only help New York City’s profile increase on the recruiting front. The Big Apple was aided the last two seasons by Curtis’ Dominique Easley (Florida) and Lincoln’s Ishaq Williams (Notre Dame) both being in the spotlight. Morgan seems to be the next in line.

“To tell you the truth, this was one of my goals as I was going into high school,” Morgan said of starring on a national stage. “Everyone was telling me I could be great, I could do this, I could do that. I didn’t want to be one of those players that should have done this or could have done that.”

Morgan said he’s not close to committing at all. He wants to go on visits and right now he’s working hard this summer at the PSAL Big Apple Games. In the fall, the goal is simple: a city title. E-Hall made it to the semifinals his sophomore year, so he’s already had a taste. Both Easley and Williams played in the PSAL final as seniors.

“Right now I’m just taking it easy, just trying to focus on my team,” Morgan said. “Trying to win a city championship.”

mraimondi@nypost.com