Nov 4, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmets against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Buccaneers rookie steal? Don’t sleep on this one

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated May 3, 2025 2:43 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are excited to welcome in their new draft class this offseason, and there's one player in particular who may have a stronger impression to start with.

The Bucs selected Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison with the No. 53 overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft, and Bleacher Report writer Brent Sobleski named him as the best value pick in the Bucs draft class.

Morrison has tremendous value for Bucs in rookie class

"A torn hip labrum held Notre Dame corner Benjamin Morrison back from being a first-round pick. Instead, he fell to the 53rd overall slot, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers awaited," Sobleski wrote.

Morrison tried to show he was healthy by putting on a personal workout only days before the start of the NFL draft.

"Both of them [tears] are bilateral. There's no problems with either of them ... so the hips aren't an issue," Morrison told reporters after the workout. "I wanted to answer that question before the draft because I don't want to leave it up to them."

"The performance didn't work in the corner's favor because the turnaround time was too short. However, there's a good chance Tampa Bay ended up with a steal on Day 2. Morrison has starter traits as an outside corner."

Morrison will have a chance to compete for a starting job on the defense throughout the offseason, which begins with the team's rookie minicamp that takes place from May 9-11 at the team's facility in Tampa Bay.