Vikings take ball-hawking Notre Dame CB in Kiper's first 2025 mock draft

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN's longtime draft analyst, has the Vikings using the No. 24 pick to select Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison in his first mock draft of the year.

"Minnesota has big-time cornerback questions. All three starters — Stephon Gilmore, Shaquill Griffin and slot guy Byron Murphy Jr. — are free agents, along with backup Fabian Moreau. So, even though the Vikings led the NFL in interceptions by quite a bit (24, five more than second best), they might have to restock their CB room in the draft. Morrison missed all but six games in 2024 with a hip injury, but he's a top-tier cover man. He has sound technique, and he has the ball skills to keep Minnesota's INT total high. Morrison had nine picks and 21 pass breakups over his career."

Morrison burst onto the college football scene with six interceptions as a true freshman for the Fighting Irish in 2022. The former four-star recruit from Phoenix followed that up with another highly-productive season as a sophomore: 10 passes defended, 3 INT, 4 tackles for loss. Coming into this season, he was viewed as one of the best cornerbacks in the country. But unfortunately for Morrison, a hip injury in mid-October cost him the rest of his season, meaning he missed Notre Dame's impressive run to the College Football Playoff title game against Ohio State.

The plays Benjamin Morrison made as a true freshman last season were SPECIAL☘️

pic.twitter.com/K8EHJfoUld
— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 28, 2023

Nonetheless, his body of work over 31 college games suggests Morrison will likely be a first-round pick in April's draft (assuming he declares). He's got size, athleticism, stickiness in coverage, and plenty of ball skills. Across his career, according to PFF, Morrison allowed 59 receptions on 129 targets in his coverage and a passer rating of 44.1 on those throws. He also isn't afraid to play downhill against the run. After likely top-ten picks Travis Hunter and Will Johnson, Morrison is in the CB3 conversation with players like Jahdae Barron (Texas), Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina), and Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky).

Cornerback is one of the Vikings' more glaring needs heading into this offseason. As Kiper mentioned, each of their top four players at that position from this past season are set to hit free agency. The only starting-caliber option they currently have under contract is Mekhi Blackmon, a 2023 third-round pick coming off missing his entire second season to a torn ACL. So depending on what happens in free agency, corner is very much an option with their pick late in the first round.

Other notable picks (from a Vikings perspective) in Kiper's mock include Alabama G Tyler Booker going at 16 and Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty going at 20. He has the Vikings choosing Morrison over defensive tackles like Walter Nolen (Ole Miss) and Kenneth Grant (Michigan), who are the final two picks in his first round.

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