Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who was named a freshman All-American in 2022 and became a team captain before an October hip injury ended his 2024 season, has declared for the NFL Draft.
Morrison made his announcement on social media Thursday, saying, “This is not just the end of one chapter — it’s the beginning of another. I’ll carry the lessons, memories, and love from Notre Dame every step of the way.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Morrison ranked as the No. 23 overall prospect and the No. 3 cornerback for the draft.
In addition to Morrison’s departure, Notre Dame is seeing several players enter the transfer portal after their loss to Ohio State in the CFP national championship. Starting offensive linemen Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan, along with backup Sam Pendleton, have entered the portal, with Pendleton listed as “do not contact.”
Wide receivers Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie are also in the portal.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Morrison had six interceptions as a true freshman in 2022, tying for third in the country and earning All-America honors from ESPN and other outlets. His six interceptions were the most by a Notre Dame player since linebacker Manti Te’o had seven in 2012.
In 2023, Morrison recorded three interceptions and led the team with 10 pass breakups. He was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award and was named a preseason All-America selection. He started the first six games of the 2023 season before suffering the hip injury on October 12 against Stanford, which required season-ending surgery.
Morrison finished his Notre Dame career with 9 interceptions, 27 passes defended, and 84 tackles. He is the son of former NFL safety Darryl Morrison, who played for Washington from 1993 to 1996.
Thomas, a wide receiver, started 12 games over the 2022 and 2023 seasons and accumulated 43 receptions for 838 yards and seven touchdowns with Notre Dame.
