The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft has concluded, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Benjamin Morrison remains undrafted. Widely considered one of the top secondary players in this class, Morrison could still be a valuable asset to any team that selects him.
During his three-year career at Notre Dame, Morrison played in 31 games, recording 84 total tackles (61 solo, 23 assisted), five tackles for loss, nine interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), and 18 pass deflections. However, injury concerns may be a key reason why he’s still on the draft board. Let’s take a closer look.
Why Did Benjamin Morrison Slip Out of the First Round of the NFL Draft?
Morrison was a consistent contributor for the eventual national championship runner-ups but missed the final 10 games of the 2024 season due to injury. He suffered a hip injury during Notre Dame’s Oct. 12 game against Stanford, which ended his season.
The injury—a left hip labral tear—required surgery and sidelined him for the rest of the year. In the meantime, other prospects rose up draft boards.
At the time of the injury, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had Morrison ranked 20th overall on his Big Board. Post-injury, however, his draft stock dropped.
PFSN’s Ian Cummings projected Morrison as the 76th pick to the Dallas Cowboys in his seven-round mock draft, making him an early third-round selection. It’s worth noting that Morrison held a private workout for NFL teams just three days before the draft, aiming to prove he’s fully recovered and still the explosive player he was before surgery.
For the record, Morrison attempted to clear up any misconceptions about his rehab due to the aforementioned hip injury, plus lingering questions about right shoulder surgery from March 2024.
“There are no problems (with) either of them,” Morrison said, via Jake Garcia. “So I think for me, it’s like, look, the hips aren’t an issue. I wanted to answer that question before the draft, just because I don’t want to leave it up to them.”
Despite his talent, Morrison isn’t the only top cornerback to fall in this year’s draft. Michigan’s Will Johnson also slipped out of the first round, suggesting that NFL teams may not be valuing cornerbacks in this class as highly as other positions—especially when injury concerns are in play.
Morrison has first-round talent, and if he can stay healthy, the team that drafts him could end up with a steal. If his medical evaluations hold up, Morrison has the potential to be an impactful starting cornerback at the NFL level.