The Ravens and Benjamin Morrison appear to be a perfect match.
The Baltimore Ravens are slated to draft two times on the second day of the upcoming NFL draft, which encompasses Rounds 2-3. The Ravens possess each of their own two Day 2 selections: No. 59 overall in the second round and No. 91 in the third round.
It’s always possible the Ravens could trade up or down, acquire an extra Day 2 pick, or maneuver their positioning. Regardless, they will be in a position to select multiple players during the second and third round.
According to PFF’s Mason Cameron, the best-fitting prospect for the Ravens on the second day of the draft is cornerback Benjamin Morrison out of Notre Dame. Cameron listed Morrison as the player Baltimore should target on Day 2.
“With just five cornerbacks on their roster as it’s currently constructed, the Ravens could make excellent use of Morrison’s skill set as a long, smooth-moving man cornerback,” Cameron wrote. “Baltimore ran a top-10 rate of Cover 1 in 2024, making Morrison a natural fit after Notre Dame ran the most Cover 1 in the FBS last season.”
Morrison’s physical profile at 6-foot with a 75-inch wingspan fits the mold of what the Ravens have traditionally coveted in their cornerbacks. So too does his ability to play man coverage, as Cameron notes. Marlon Humphrey is notoriously an elite press-man coverage player and last year’s first-round pick Nate Wiggins is strong in this phase as well.
Morrison, 21, played three seasons for the Fighting Irish but appeared in only six games this past year. In his Freshman and Sophomore seasons, Morrison combined to rack up nine interceptions, 14 passes defended, and five tackles for loss.
Many mock drafts project him being selected as early as late in the first round. So, in a scenario where the Ravens draft him on Day 2, it may mean Morrison slides further than expected — or Baltimore would have to trade up and jump other teams to get him.
As Cameron points out, the Ravens already have five cornerbacks on their roster presently. They recently signed veteran Chidobe Awuzie to a one-year contract, who has plenty of starting experience in the NFL. Awuzie is replacing the departed Brandon Stephens in free agency. Rounding out the depth chart is rising sophomore T.J. Tampa and three-year veteran Jalyn Armour-Davis.
Tampa is a high-upside player who was considered a potential steal in the fourth round of the draft last year. However, he’s yet to prove himself after essentially redshirting his rookie campaign last year. Armour-Davis has struggled with injuries through three seasons and has not been reliable to stay on the field consistently.
On paper, the Ravens have one of the more talented position groups in the league, but that won’t and shouldn’t prevent them from taking a cornerback in the draft — even as high as the second or third round. Having good cornerback depth is essential, especially given the Ravens’ unlucky past history with injuries at this position.
In Baltimore, Morrison would join fellow Notre Dame alum Kyle Hamilton in the defensive backfield. The two are not former teammates, however, as Hamilton’s last collegiate season (2021) was the year before Morrison’s freshman campaign.