Even as the NFL draft was fast approaching, Benjamin Morrison, a Brophy Prep and University of Notre Dame alum, figured it was never too late to showcase his talents. With the sun beating down on the Brophy Sports Complex, Morrison held a workout recently in front of scouts and executives from 25 NFL teams.
Morrison burst onto the Valley high school scene with seven interceptions in his freshman season as a cornerback, and entered the 2024 college football season with the Fighting Irish regarded as a first-round pick.
Then misfortune struck during the sixth game of his junior year at Notre Dame: a season-ending hip injury sidelined him, curtailing him from participating in any of the draft cycle testings. Last Monday afternoon, Morrison returned to the field to show NFL teams the skillset he’s been working on since he was 6, with the hope he will hear his name called during an NFL draft that runs Thursday through Saturday in Green Bay.
“Seeing him move, get out there and move around putting his foot down and go get the ball, the things that, as he said, we’ve been doing since he was 6 years old,” Morrison’s dad, Darryl Morrison, said. “I call it the dungeon. So he just showed (them) what we’re doing in the dungeon.”
Darryl Morrison was a safety at the University of Arizona before playing with Washington in the NFL for four seasons. Still, with all the training he endured and having gone through this process before, nothing can prepare a parent for seeing their child go through an injury, especially one requiring surgery.
“It was difficult,” Darryl Morrison said. “Just as a parent, you want the best for your child, and he was having a great career, and then you have that injury.”
The injury halted Benjamin Morrison physically, but mentally, he was prepared for it. He dealt with the same injury in high school. He said the main difference about the recovery process this time around was the approaching NFL draft: A life-changing moment ahead can provide motivation.
Still, it’s a process. The training, film study, team meetings and sacrifice – all to make a dream come true.
Morrison’s dad is proud of the young man his son became while fighting the adversity presented to him head-on. But Darryl Morrison has also gone through the draft process before, and while it’s exciting to see his son moving well again, he made sure to keep him aware of his situation.
“Enjoy this process,” Darryl Morrison said. “A lot of people don’t get to do this, and I just want him to be in the midst of everything that’s going on. Like me, I sit back now, and I think about those days, and I want him to be able to think fondly of this moment, and just the opportunity he has, but also the work that he’s put in.”
Holding the workout for NFL luminaries was a priority for the 21-year-old Morrison. He’s worked hard and wanted to showcase his health. Injuries in sports are uncontrollable, and the media tends to forget players when the uncontrollable happens, so gw wanted to take control and prove to teams his worth.
Before the injury, Benjamin Morrison possessed an aggressive playstyle, making exceptional reads based on his processing speed and excellent short-area quickness. Many of his defensive back drills focused on quick change of direction.
“My biggest thing is showing that not just I’m healthy, but I’m still at number one corner,” he said. “I think a lot of people forgot. They can’t forget three days before the draft. They see that I can move and be healthy.”
The leadup to the NFL draft is a special moment for the Morrison family and for Brophy football coach Jason Jewel. Benjamin Morrison is the first Brophy athlete to have a shot at the NFL since Jewel took over coaching the Broncos in 2019.
Jewel knows the physicality Morrison brings to a team with his tackling ability. But that’s not the most outstanding attribute he possesses.
“He is one of the nicest, best character kids that I’ve ever been around,” Jewel said. “Humble, well spoken, great kid, man of God and a great human being. He will do nothing wrong and shame any program that takes him. He is going to be a class act in the locker room.”
A journey filled with adversity now takes another step. Morrison’s dad prepared him for this moment, his former coach Jewel prepared him for this moment, and certainly, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman prepared him. Benjamin Morrison has had many impactful figures in his life, but on draft day, he’ll take the advice of the man who got his journey started in the dungeon.
“The biggest thing is the people that helped me get there,” he said. “So everyone who’s there has meant something to me, while it’s understanding anything can happen that night. So, I’m just taking it for what it is cause I just want to enjoy it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So being with the ones who I love most will be special.”