Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison is declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
Morrison did not play in the College Football Playoff due to a season-ending hip injury suffered in October, but he dominated opposing receivers up to that point. He allowed just 12 receptions and a 58.4 passer rating on his 27 targets in 2024, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), solidifying his status as a first-round pick.
NFL teams will be excited about Morrison’s growth potential. He checks almost every box for a cornerback prospect, with a solid frame (6-foot, 190 pounds), smooth athleticism, excellent coverage skills, and willingness to defend the run. He burst onto the college football scene with a team-high six interceptions as an 18-year-old true freshman in 2022, earning All-American honors in the process.
Morrison followed that up with a superb sophomore year with three more interceptions and a semifinalist nod for the Jim Thorpe award, given to the top defensive back in Division I-FBS. He was on his way to more awards consideration in 2024 before his injury, but still put together a solid six-game performance before he went down.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Michigan’s Will Johnson are widely thought to be the top two cornerbacks in the 2025 class, with Morrison typically ranked third. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks Morrison 13th overall in this year’s class. Hunter, obviously, offers elite upside as a two-way player, while Johnson enjoyed more team success and individual accolades at the college level compared to Morrison. All three are expected to be first-round picks in April’s draft.