Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman announced Monday that top cornerback Benjamin Morrison will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after suffering a hip injury in a Week 7 win against Stanford. Freeman also noted that Morrison will have surgery to correct the issue.
CBS Sports' Mike Renner projected Morrison to be selected with the 17th overall pick in the first round of his latest mock 2025 NFL Draft. Morrison had 20 total tackles and three pass breakups through Notre Dame's first six games.
"Obviously it's a blow to our team to lose a captain," Freeman said. "Great football player. And you feel terrible for the kid 'cause he gives football, he gives preparation, everything he has. It's just tough, but he's a tough kid."
Morrison's injury is the latest in a long string of devastating blows for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame lost projected starting offensive tackle Charles Jagusah to an upper body injury prior to the season. Starting offensive lineman Ashton Craig and starting defensive lineman Jordan Botelho were both lost for the year in a 66-7 win against Purdue.
Then, Boubacar Traore, the team's sacks leader, tore the ACL in his left knee in a Week 5 win against Louisville. Compounding Morrison's injury is the fact that top backup cornerback Jaden Mickey elected to take a midseason redshirt and has not been with the team over the past few weeks.
That means Notre Dame has just three scholarship cornerbacks as it prepares for Georgia Tech. Starter Christian Gray is still locked in, but the Irish will have to lean heavily on a pair of freshmen in Leonard Moore and Karson Hobbs.
