Mock drafts this time of the year aren’t about trying to predict what the Indianapolis Colts are going to do 10 months from now–that’s a nearly impossible task. Instead, they provide us with names to keep our eyes on during the upcoming college football season.
In a recent mock draft from Pro Football Network, the Colts couldn’t pass up taking a cornerback this time, selecting Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison at 13th overall.
Morrison is listed at 6-0 – 186 pounds, has primarily lined up on the boundary for Notre Dame, and has been lights out in coverage over the last two years.
During that span, Morrison has been one of PFF’s higher-graded cover corners. On 102 targets, Morrison has allowed only 47 completions at 12.3 yards per catch. He’s displayed excellent ball skills, coming away with nine interceptions and 10 pass breakups as well.
For more on Morrison’s game, here is a snippet of what Ian Cummings of the Pro Football Network wrote in his early scouting report:
“Morrison is an elite physical talent with sharp processing ability and playmaking chops who, in spite of his middling size, has impressive feistiness, both in coverage and support. He’ll have to continue adding mass to his frame, but he’s a scheme-versatile CB prospect with All-Pro upside and lockdown potential in man.”
After an inconsistent 2023 season at the cornerback position for the Colts, that resulted in too many big plays surrendered and not enough plays on the football being made, this was a position that many thought GM Chris Ballard would have prioritized in this year’s draft. But rather, the only outside additions made came on Day 3 of the draft.
What this tells us is that inside the building, the Colts are bullish about their current cornerback group. With the experience that this young group gained last season, along with being healthy, with Dallis Flowers and JuJu Brents both practicing this offseason, improved play is the expectation.
In the early going of offseason programs, it has been Jaylon Jones starting over Flowers opposite of Brents, with of course, Kenny Moore in the nickel. However, this will be one of the bigger positional battles to watch as training camp and the preseason unfolds with day-to-day consistency ultimately determining who that starting spot will go to.
“I think all those guys, obviously, we drafted two young guys, but I think with Jaylon Jones, Dallis, and JuJu, they’re long, rangy guys that are physical when they get up and press,” said Shane Steichen during minicamp.
“They got good vision. I love those guys. It’s a good room. A good competition there. It’s going to be a good competition, obviously, in minicamp and OTAs, but going into training camp is going to be big for all those guys.”
Perhaps more so than any other young player on this Colts roster, a breakout second season for Brents would carry a massive impact, given the uncertainty around this position group.
