Tag: Benjamin Morrison

2025 NFL Mock Draft: Vikings once again attached to injured cornerback

Bucky Brooks of NFL Media did his best to fix the Vikings issue in his first mock draft of the 2025 cycle.

The 2025 NFL Draft is three months away and we are well into the thick of it as the Senior Bowl goes on this week. The Vikings have some needs to address this offseason that became glaringly clear with their four losses on the year, playoff and regular season combined, coming against the same two teams.

Bucky Brooks of NFL Media did his best to fix the Vikings issue in his first mock draft of the 2025 cycle.

With the Vikings drafting 24th overall, they may have to either wait for talent to fall to them or take a chance on someone. In this mock draft, the latter is happening, as the Vikings are selecting Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who is coming off a season-ending hip injury.

Brooks points out, “If Morrison’s medicals check out, the well-sized cover corner would be a nice fit for a secondary that prioritizes tackling and toughness on the perimeter.”

The selection of Morrison is one the Vikings may avoid, though, with their poor luck of injury-plagued defensive backs in recent history. In his mock, Brooks has another injured cornerback going to the Chiefs at 32 in Shavon Revel. He suffered a torn ACL but is already nearing a return and could participate in the NFL Scouting Combine.

I wold rather take a chance on him at 24 than Morrison.

Star Notre Dame defender declares for NFL Draft

Notre Dame defensive lineman Rylie Mills is going to the league.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman [autotag]Rylie Mills[/autotag] is moving on.

Mills declared for the NFL Draft on Monday.

He was a key anchor for the Notre Dame defense, though he missed the final three games with a right knee injury.

The five-year player had 37 total tackles and 7.5 sacks in 2024.

Mills posted a long thank-you note to Notre Dame fans on his Twitter account.

Notre Dame’s defense has now lost at least three stars to the NFL draft, with [autotag]Benjamin Morrison[/autotag] and [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag] also declaring. The departures aren’t necessarily unexpected given how crucial the Fighting Irish’s defense was to Notre Dame’s run to the national championship game, but they’re a blow nonetheless.

Notre Dame gets terrible news as another starter is out for the year
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – NOVEMBER 09: Rylie Mills #99 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates a sack against the Florida State Seminoles during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium on November 09, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison declares for 2025 NFL draft

Probably the least surprising news of the offseason.

If there’s one regret [autotag]Benjamin Morrison[/autotag] likely has about his career at Notre Dame, it’s that he finished it watching from the sidelines. An injury six games into the 2024 season caused him to miss the rest of the winningest season in Irish history.

Irish fans were devastated in part because they knew they had seen the last of Morrison playing for their team. Even before the season, mock 2025 NFL drafts had him being selected in the first round. That has not changed despite him missing the entire second half of this past season. In fact, Tankathon currently has him as the only Irish player to be taken on the first day.

So with the season over, it only was a matter of time before Morrison announced he would forgo his remaining college eligibility and declare for the NFL draft. He finally made that official with the following heartfelt post on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/benmorrison/p/DFLXGSDSlzT/?hl=en

Morrison finishes his Irish career with 84 tackles, five tackles for loss, nine interceptions and one touchdown over 31 games. We wish him the best in his next phase as a player.

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Mel Kiper gives Vikings secondary help in first mock draft of 2025

On Wednesday, Mel Kiper Jr. posted his first mock draft of the 2025 NFL Draft cycle and he provided some extra help to the Vikings secondary.

The Minnesota Vikings are expected to address the secondary this offseason for multiple reasons. Outside of the the position groups under performing at times, they also have three key free agents at safety and cornerback.

On Wednesday, Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN posted his first mock draft of the 2025 NFL Draft cycle and he provided some extra help to the Vikings secondary.

Kiper Jr. gave the Vikings Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison with the 24th overall pick in his mock draft. Kiper explains the pick citing, “Minnesota has big-time cornerback questions.  . .even though the Vikings led the NFL in interceptions by quite a bit (24, five more than second best), they might have to restock their CB room in the draft.”

Kiper also explains that Morrison played in just three games in 2024 for the Fightin’ Irish after suffering a season ending hip injury. Drafting a cornerback in the first round coming off a hip injury seems a bit dicey for the Vikings front office that has struck out on several top picks in the secondary.

The 2025 NFL Draft will be vital tot he Vikings success in 2025 and with just five picks in the draft every one of them will have increased value. Drafting a cornerback coming off a significant injury to the lower body may be too risky given their current situation.

NFL draft profile and projection for cornerback Benjamin Morrison

Check out our NFL draft profile on cornerback Benjamin Morrison.

The College Football Playoff will feature plenty of top NFL talents, whether they are eligible or not. This is the talent level you expect to see in a game of caliber.

Our focus shifts to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who is set to wrap up his true junior season on Monday. Morrison joined the Irish as a four-star recruit and the No. 35 cornerback nationally according to 247Sports.

As a freshman, Morrison led the team with six interceptions. He followed that up with three more as a sophomore, establishing himself as a true ballhawk on the back end.

Benjamin Morrison has another year of eligibility left on the table but he could leave the collegiate level on the highest note with a national championship under his belt.

Benjamin Morrison, Cornerback

Draft Projection: Round 1

One of the highest-graded cornerbacks for the upcoming draft will have a tall task with many Ohio State Buckeyes‘ big-time receivers on the other side of the ball in the College Football Playoff national championship. Whether Morrison draws Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, or freshman standout Jeremiah Smith, he will have his hands full.

 

A look at the Lions picks from Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft

A look at the Lions first two picks from Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft at The Athletic

Mock draft season is in full swing. All-star games are right around the corner and there is just one game left in the college football season, Ohio State vs. Notre Dame for the National Championship on January 20.

The latest mock draft we’ll take a look at is from Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Brugler went two rounds in this mock and we’ll touch on both of those picks.

Brugler went with regular-season finishes to determine picks 25-32 and 57-64. The final order of those picks will be determined based on postseason results. For now, the Lions ended up with the No. 32 pick in the first round. Lions fans are hoping that ends up being the reality, as that would mean the Lions will have won the Super Bowl.

At pick 32, the Lions go with Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton. Scourton and Lions head coach Dan Campbell have a couple of things in common. They’re both built with a powerful motor and just get after everything they do. They’re also from the same school. Campbell also played his college ball at Texas A&M. (Note: Scourton was a transfer from Purdue.)

“There should be a few options for the Lions to add key depth at edge rusher late in Round 1,” wrote Brugler. “Scourton has mostly Day 2 draft grades around the league, but he projects as a starter because of his ability to wear down blockers with a motor that doesn’t quit — something Dan Campbell (a former Aggie himself) would appreciate.”

Lions fans will get a chance to watch Scourton in a few weeks at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Scourton finished the 2024 season with five sacks and 27 tackles. He recorded 17 sacks in his career, including a ten-sack season in 2023 with Purdue.

At pick 64, the Lions add to their secondary room with Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison. Morrison has a ton of talent but a hip injury will cause him to drop on boards. He played in just six games this season for the Irish but did record three passes defended and 20 tackles. For his career, Morrison has 84 tackles, 18 passes defended and nine interceptions.

[lawrence-related id=118391]

2025 NFL draft: Commanders land cornerback help in new mock draft

The Commanders land cornerback help in this new mock draft.

The Washington Commanders will pick much lower in the 2025 NFL draft than many expected two months ago. At 7-4, Washington is one of the NFL’s most positive surprises, one year after finishing 4-13.

The Commanders’ strengths and weaknesses also look much different than previously imagined. Before the season, many wondered if Washington could make it through the season with its current group of offensive tackles. While rookie Brandon Coleman has yet to prove he’s the left tackle of the future, the Commanders’ offensive tackles are not the weakness many perceived ahead of the season.

However, Washington still must address two positions in the offseason: Cornerback and wide receiver. The good news is the cornerback position looks better than it did several weeks ago, thanks to rookie Mike Sainristil’s emergence and Marshon Lattimore’s acquisition via trade.

While Lattimore has yet to make his Washington debut, he is under contract for two more years. Still, with Washington looking likely to part with Emmanuel Forbes after the season and Benjamin St-Juste being a free agent, cornerback will be high on the Commanders’ priority list.

In his latest mock draft for ESPN, Matt Miller has the Commanders using a first-round pick on a cornerback for the second time in three years. This time, it’s Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison at No. 22 overall.

The Commanders picked up veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore at the trade deadline but should continue to remake their secondary to fit coach Dan Quinn’s schemes, especially with three of their current corners (Michael Davis, Benjamin St-Juste and Noah Igbinoghene) becoming free agents after the season. Morrison, my second-ranked CB, was sidelined for the season in mid-October because of a hip injury, but he has good size (6-foot, 196 pounds), speed and instincts playing the ball, as evidenced by nine interceptions over his first two seasons.

Morrison’s size and ability to create turnovers would make him an excellent fit for Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt’s defense.

Benjamin Morrison helped Notre Dame win from a hospital bed

Not surprising at all from Morrison

In the first game that Notre Dame didn’t have star cornerback [autotag]Benjamin Morrison[/autotag], he still helped the Irish defeat Georgia Tech 31-13.

The junior underwent hip surgery this week, as head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] told us that he has been ruled out the remainder of the season on Monday. Multiple players will try and fill his big shoes, but they aren’t alone.

As Freeman mentioned during his postgame media session, Morrison was helping his teammates prepare for the Yellow Jackets after watching film on them and breaking it down for them. He has been doing this from a hospital bed, as he currently can’t walk following the procedure.

This just shows that Morrison is the consummate teammate, one that even though he can’t be on the field with his squad, is still willing to help them win the game.

What’s also interesting about this fact is that this could be a preclude to Morrison becoming a coach after his playing career is over. Wouldn’t it be great to see him roaming the sidelines after successful NFL career?

Notre Dame corner back Benjamin Morrison addresses media after a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in South Bend.

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Matt Fortuna: Morrison injury is ‘devastating blow’ for Notre Dame

Hard to disagree here.

Few college football analysts are as intelligent as Matt Fortuna. When he has something to say about a certain topic, people listen, especially when it comes to adversity.

Notre Dame is going through perhaps its biggest adversity yet with star cornerback [autotag]Benjamin Morrison[/autotag] suddenly going out for the year with a hip injury. Naturally, this has shaken Irish fans to their core, and Fortuna says there’s every reason to feel that way.

In an appearance on “The Big College Football Show” on the Chicago Sports Network, Fortuna made it abundantly clear that this is as bad an injury scenario as the Irish could have envisioned. Not only did he call the future first-round NFL pick their “best player”, but he pointed out that this stretches the injury-ravaged defense even further.

Worse yet, Fortuna doesn’t see the Irish as they are making a deep run in the College Football Playoff if they even get there. Unfortunately, it’s hard to disagree with him:

A prayer might be the last hope Irish fans have at breaking that national championship drought this season, so hit your knees.

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Injuries sideline 2 more 2025 NFL Draft top-50 prospects for the rest of the season

Injuries sideline 2 more 2025 NFL Draft top-50 prospects for the rest of the season, including a leading contender for the top OT

It’s been a tough college football season for several 2025 NFL Draft prospects already, with a few well-regarded prospects suffering injuries that will sideline them until at least the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, if not longer.

Unfortunately, two more prospects who were prominent in the latest top-100 update of the big board have joined the injury list. Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons and Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison suffered season-ending injuries over the weekend.

Simmons had played his way into consideration as the top tackle prospect in the draft class, but a left leg injury puts an end to that upward momentum. The former San Diego State transfer was notable for his natural knee bend and flexibility as a left tackle. Hopefully, the injury doesn’t impact those qualities in Simmons.

Morrison was a regular fixture in first-round mock draft projections all season. The junior suffered a hip injury, and his availability to participate in the postseason draft events is uncertain.

Simmons and Morrison join East Carolina CB Shavon Revel, LSU LB Harold Perkins and some others as 2025 prospects who have played their last college football game due to injuries this year.