Why Benjamin Morrison is the third most important Notre Dame player in 2023

Rarely does a sophomore make his way into the top three of Blue & Gold’s annual top 25 most important Notre Dame players countdown. This year, it happened.

Second-year cornerback Benjamin Morrison is No. 3.

Why Morrison is No. 3

He zigged when the rest of the Notre Dame defensive backs zagged in 2022.

Morrison had six interceptions. The rest of the Irish roster had four. One of those was from linebacker Marist Liufau. So Morrison had twice as many INTs as the rest of the Notre Dame secondary combined.

Morrison is instinctual. He makes plays on the football, something that was seriously lacking among Notre Dame defenders last season. According to Sports Reference, he has four passes defended. That tied for a team lead with three other players, but the Irish only had 34 passes defended as a team. That ranked 125th nationally per CFBstats.com.

A corner can only do so much to control games, but Notre Dame has one of the most capable in the country at doing just that.

What a successful season for Notre Dame’s Morrison would look like

No sophomore slumping.

It’s very unlikely Morrison will come away with half a dozen interceptions again. He has name value across the country. Quarterbacks will stay away from his side of the field, limiting his opportunities to make game-changing plays. What cannot happen is a regression to the point in which QBs aren’t afraid of him. That, of course, would open up the entire field. As it stands, Morrison occupies a bit of a no-fly zone. That needs to remain the case.

Behind the ranking

The top 25 was determined in the same manner as the Associated Press Top 25. Five BlueandGold.com staff members submitted their ballots, and each position on the ballot was given a point value. The top ranking was worth 25 points, No. 2 was worth 24, No. 3 worth 23 and so on down until No. 25, which was worth one point. The players with the 25 highest point totals made the list.

Talent and the projected depth chart were key foundations for the poll, but voters placed a premium on these questions: 1) If you subtracted this individual from the roster, how much of a setback would it be? 2) If this less proven player emerges and makes an impact, how much does that raise the ceiling (or lower it, if a breakout does not happen as expected)?

Individual rankings

Jack Soble: No. 3
Kyle Kelly: No. 3
Steve Downey: No. 3
Todd Burlage: No. 4
Tyler Horka: No. 7

BlueandGold.com’s Notre Dame top 25 so far

No. 3: Sophomore cornerback Benjamin Morrison
No. 4: Junior offensive tackle Blake Fisher
No. 5: Junior running back Audric Estimé
No. 6: Senior vyper Jordan Botelho
No. 7: Junior wide receiver Jayden Thomas
No. 8: Graduate cornerback Cam Hart
No. 9: Senior safety Xavier Watts
No. 10: Sophomore wide receiver Tobias Merriweather
No. 11: Graduate student linebacker JD Bertrand
No. 12: Graduate student defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste
No. 13: Graduate student linebacker Jack Kiser
No. 14: Senior defensive tackle Rylie Mills
No. 15: Junior tight end Mitchell Evans
No. 16: Senior wide receiver Chris Tyree
No. 17: Graduate student center Zeke Correll
No. 18: Graduate student defensive tackle Howard Cross III
No. 19: Graduate student safety Antonio Carter II
No. 20: Graduate student offensive lineman Andrew Kristofic
No. 21: Graduate student defensive back Thomas Harper
No. 22: Sophomore offensive guard Billy Schrauth
No. 23: Junior wide receiver Deion Colzie
No. 24: Graduate student linebacker Marist Liufau
No. 25: Freshman wide receiver Jaden Greathouse

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