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Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison undergoes shoulder surgery

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble03/26/24jacksoble56
morrison (3)
(Photo by Chad Weaver)

Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Monday, the team announced Tuesday morning. The star defender, who is entering his junior year, is expected to return for the 2024 football season.

Dr. Brian Ratigan, M.D., Notre Dame’s head of orthopedic sports medicine, performed Morrison’s surgery. The Irish did not specify Morrison’s return timeline beyond being expected back for the season.

The Phoenix (Ariz.) Brophy College Prep graduate participated in the Irish’s fourth practice of spring ball, which took place this past Wednesday and was open to media viewing.

Morrison burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2022, intercepting 6 passes and allowing an opponent passer rating of 29.2 as the nearest defender, according to Pro Football Focus. He was named a Freshman All-American, and he followed it up with a similarly dominant year in 2023.

As a sophomore, Morrison picked up 3 interceptions and allowed 25 passes for 279 yards on 51 targets in coverage. He broke up 15 passes in the first two years of his college career, and he is widely considered to be a first-round prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft, when he’ll become eligible.

PFF rated Morrison the second-best returning cornerback for the 2024 college football season, behind only Michigan junior Will Johnson. He looked ready to make good on that hype when reporters saw him in spring practice, locking down nearly every receiver he came across and hauling in a spectacular one-handed interception.

Morrison joins senior quarterback Riley Leonard, a transfer from Duke, as critical players for Notre Dame who will likely miss the rest of spring ball. Leonard is competing for the starting quarterback job and is considered the favorite to win it over junior signal-caller Steve Angeli. Morrison’s interception numbers went down from his prolific freshman year, but he and departed bookend corner Cam Hart were the lynchpins of Notre Dame’s top-flight pass defense.

In Morrison’s absence, junior Jaden Mickey and sophomore Christian Gray will take the first-team cornerback reps for the remainder of spring ball. Mickey and Gray are competing to start alongside Morrison in the fall, although Irish head coach Marcus Freeman has said that both will receive considerable playing time regardless of who wins the job.

Morrison is one of six returning starters on Notre Dame’s defense, along with defensive tackles Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills, Vyper Jordan Botelho, linebacker Jack Kiser and safety Xavier Watts.

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