Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison is a name that has been on the radar of draft pundits for quite some time. As the Fighting Irish garnered success and national attention, so too did Morrison in his own projections as a professional prospect. However, a 2024 season cut short due to injury creates an interesting analytical exercise for the NFL hopeful. Morrison will be especially closely monitored in the days and weeks leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft. His 2025 scouting report sheds some light on what is a complicated evaluation.
Overview, Film Analysis, And 2025 Scouting Report Of Notre Dame Cornerback Benjamin Morrison
Measurables
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 190 lbs
Player Background
Despite being born in Leesburg, Virginia, Benjamin Morrison began to pop up on the radar of college scouts while playing football in Phoenix, Arizona. The son of a former NFL safety, Morrison attended Brophy College Prep in Phoenix. There, he became regarded as one of the top cornerback prospects in the class of 2022. Among 25 college offers, Morrison settled on Notre Dame after being recruited by current head coach, Marcus Freeman.
The beginning of Morrison’s time with the Fighting Irish was marked by immense production. Nine interceptions between his first two seasons made him among the most productive cornerbacks in the nation. It was clear after the 2023 season that Morrison would be on the path to becoming an NFL player.
Yet, Morrison’s path to the NFL hit some snags. Namely, a season-ending injury in 2024 punctuated what was the forgettable junior campaign. While Notre Dame hit major milestones as a program, Morrison was focused on rehabbing himself and preparing for a first-round draft pick push. While he had been widely regarded as a first-round pick for much of the offseason, Morrison’s current consensus draft board position continues to slip. A tape analysis begins to shed some light on the factors that are responsible for this.
Strengths
Despite a recent downward trend, there are many traits to admire in Morrison’s game. He has established a reputation as a fluid cover man, and it is easy to see why. Notre Dame trusted Morrison in a high percentage of man coverage snaps. He is patient as a man corner, with a great ability to diagnose his opponent and react quickly and accurately. He is a fluid mover who can respond to quick releases off the line and set himself up to play the ball. This is especially noteworthy given the fact that he is average to slightly above average in build and length.
Morrison’s fluidity is a major component of his game. Despite his patience, he can quickly flip his hips to keep in phase with streaks and deep crossing routes. He has the vision and awareness to navigate rub routes and maintain his positioning on the wide receiver. When he puts himself in these positions, he also demonstrates a great ability to play the ball. There is an excellent understanding of where to place his body to best create a barrier between the receiver and the quarterback. Morrison also has a good understanding of when to get his head around and times his swats very well. This is especially valuable in the redzone, as Morrison’s ability to break up goal line slants and fades is extremely valuable.
Weaknesses
When evaluating Morrison’s game, the biggest visible drawback is his play strength. Morrison struggles greatly when looking to shed blocks. This can range from remaining engaged too long with average blockers, to being pancaked by stronger and larger wide receivers. Morrison’s play strength also plagues him as a tackler. There are times when a good angle will be neutralized by his inability to bring a stronger receiver to the ground. There are also instances where he takes too steep of a tackling angle, as he looks to translate speed into power. Unfortunately, these strength concerns can also plague him in coverage. Stronger wide receivers have the ability to disrupt Morrison’s positioning at the top of routes with legal punches and hand fighting. This is something teams will surely need to be comfortable with when selecting Benjamin Morrison.
There are minimal concerns with Morrison when he is transitioning throughout his coverage. However, there are some instances where his patience can come around to bite him. Mild flat-footedness at the line of scrimmage does leave him susceptible to the occasional quick slant or quick inside release when he is playing the perimeter.
The biggest thing that teams will need to clarify are Benjamin Morrison’s medicals. As was previously noted, Morrison suffered a significant hip injury in 2024. This injury required surgery. Teams will need to be very comfortable with the idea that this injury will not have any lingering effects on Morrison’s game. Any noted lasting drawbacks to his fluidity or movement skills could be disastrous for Morrison’s pro prospects.
Potential Team Fits
NFL Projection
Benjamin Morrison is a prototypically sized cornerback prospect with a pedigree rooted in NFL play. His career is marked by an early breakout and immediate success as a ball hawk at the college level. If Morrison were to find success, it would be with a team that plays a high frequency of man coverage. This will allow him to flaunt his fluidity and patience as a cover man, and mask some of the deficiencies in his game. While his play strength questions limit the scheme versatility, there is still enough to like about Morrison’s game given his coverage skills. He will need to stay on the perimeter, out of run fits, and in a position to showcase his skills.
Teams will need to be sure they are comfortable with his medicals before making a selection. While his current draft buzz lends to a late day-one grade, Morrison has a few too many question marks on his resume. Teams should be more comfortable selecting Morrison as a day two prospect. Where he lands will say a lot about how he projects at the next level.
Main Photo: Michael Clubb – Imagn Images
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