Notre Dame's Top Cornerbacks Since the Lou Holtz Era Ranked

Notre Dame's Benjamin Morrison is off to the NFL, but where does he rank compared to other great Irish cornerbacks over the last nearly 40 years?

Notre Dame corner back Benjamin Morrison (20) walks with his team during warm ups before a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Northern Illinois at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend. | Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK

This week saw Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison officially declare for the NFL draft.

It doesn't come as a surprise as Morrison is projected to be a first round draft pick. The bummer of it for Morrison and the Notre Dame faithful is that Morrison missed the majority of the year after injuring his hip against Stanford on October 12.

Regardless, Morrison goes down as one of the best cornerbacks Notre Dame has seen in quite some time.

Just how high does Morrison rank on that list since the start of the Lou Holtz era at Notre Dame? That goes back almost 40 years to 1986. We tagged in our very own Jeff Feyerer to go over what the top of that list looks like, as he gave us his top-five Notre Dame cornerbacks since 1986.

How high did Morrison check in? Check it out.

5. Shane Walton (1999-2002)

OTD in 2002 a Shane Walton int return for 6 helped ND move to 5-0 under Ty Willingham. 31-7 win vs Stanford. #goirish pic.twitter.com/7zp4lX6Fld

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFBhistory) October 5, 2014

Starting at Notre Dame on a soccer scholarship, Walton was named Big East Freshman of the Year before deciding to walk-on to the football team. Ultimately, he became one of the best defensive players in Notre Dame history registering 11 interceptions during his career. His 2002 season was his finest, earning consensus All-American honors after recording 7 interceptions, including a the game-clinching pick against Michigan. Walton's leadership and playmaking ability anchored the Irish defense along with linebacker Courtney Watson during Tyrone Willingham’s memorable 2002 debut season in which Notre Dame finished 10-3.

4. Benjamin Morrison (2022-2024)

Nov 5, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Benjamin Morrison (20) celebrates after a third quarter interception against the Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Stadium. | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

The aforementioned Morrison has already made an incredible impact at Notre Dame. As a true freshman in 2022, Morrison burst onto the scene with a team-high 6 interceptions, earning Freshman All-American honors. With his combination of size, speed, and instincts, Morrison will hear his name called early in April's NFL draft, even following an unfortuante hip injury that cost him much of 2024.

3. Julian Love (2016-2018)

Nov 24, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Julian Love (27) celebrates after breaking up a pass in the second half against the Southern California Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Notre Dame defeated USC 24-17. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

When you think about Love, its hard not to think about the 2018 Cotton Bowl. Love’s departure from the game with a head injury was the tipping point in the game. For as good as that Irish defense was, it was built around Love’s ability to shut down the opposing pass game. His sticky coverage and ball skills were instrumental in the Irish reaching the College Football Playoff. A unanimous All-American during that 2018 season, Love holds the school record for most pass breakups in a season and in a career. Although the only registered five picks in three years, Love's consistency, technical prowess, and uncanny tackling ability for a cornerback make him one of the best to ever play the position at Notre Dame.

2. Todd Lyght (1987-1990)

Jan 30, 2000; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; St. Louis Rams defensive back (41) Todd Lyght blocks a 47 yard field goal attempt by Tennessee Titans kicker (3) Al Del Greco during Super Bowl XXXIV at the Georgia Dome. The Rams defeated the Titans 23-16. | Tony Tomsic-Imagn Images

A two-time consensus All-American and 1990 captain, Todd Lyght was a key figure on Notre Dame's last national championship team in 1988. His rare combination of size and athleticism made him a lockdown corner who could cover the best receivers in the nation. Though no Notre Dame cornerback has won the Jim Thorpe award, given to the nation’s top defensive back, Lyght was a finalist for the award in 1989 and had 11 interceptions during his career in South Bend. Lyght went on to become a first-round NFL Draft pick and enjoyed a successful professional career, further cementing his legacy.

1. Bobby Taylor (1992-1994)

Call it nostalgia, call it what you will, but for my money, there was no better cornerback at Notre Dame than Bobby Taylor. That 1993 team holds such a special place in my heart as the team I fell in love with as a nine-year old falling for football that he stands alone atop my list as Notre Dame's best-ever cornerback. A consensus All-American in 1994, Taylor was known for his physicality, football IQ, and ability to shut down top receivers. His blend of size (6'3") and skill set him apart, making him a top NFL prospect, though he inexplicably dropped to the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft before embarking on a ten-year professional career where he was a leader in the Eagles’ defensive backfield during the Reid/McNabb era. Taylor's dominance on the field, both in college and in the NFL, solidified his place as one of Notre Dame's all-time greats and the guy I look at as the number one cornerback in Irish history.

You can follow all of Jeff's thoughts on social media @jf_fey

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