“Ballhawk” Benjamin Morrison Critical Addition
May 5th, 2025
Key to defensive resurgence?
Connor Orr of SI.com analyzed every NFL roster as we stand between the draft and underwear football season.
And while studying the Bucs’ draft, Orr likes what AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht did. In fact, Orr seems to think if second-round pick Benjamin Morrison can put his surgeries behind him, he could be one of the top steals of the draft.
General manager Jason Licht replenished the team’s most valuable asset—the wide receiver room—before bringing on corners and edge defenders. All of them seemed to fit Todd Bowles’s request heading into the year: Find me ballhawks. As much as we loved the [Shavon] Revel pick for Dallas, isn’t the Bucs’ Benjamin Morrison pick even less of an injury red flag with as much upside (at least in terms of value)? Morrison may have been a first-round pick had his collegiate career ended on a healthier note.
If Morrison can bounce back from his injury history — and we won’t know if he can for another three months — he and Jacob Parrish could turn what many perceive as a weakness (corners) into a strength from a depth perspective.
But to do that, Morrison has to get on the field. And Jamel Dean has to stay on the field.
Your best ability is your availability.
Chase your dreams ☘️
An inside look at Benjamin Morrison’s path to the @Buccaneers #GoIrish☘️ | #NFLDraft | @BMoe_21 pic.twitter.com/0cZKE75OTm
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) May 1, 2025
May 5th, 2025 at 12:10 am
Good to hear this corner is so highly regarded. I read the title and thought it said “Benjamin Morrison critical condition” I did an intake of breath and shuddered. I aam a retired nurse so this is what I thought it said at first glance. Anyway once he gets some serious practices in and doesn’t come up lame then I think we can start to be hopeful.
May 5th, 2025 at 12:24 am
DON’T rush his healing and then go very easy when he starts practicing!
May 5th, 2025 at 12:34 am
How could you not love this kid
May 5th, 2025 at 1:18 am
Yes, if Morrison is right, which it seems to sound that way, then JL just knocked the cover off the ball again in the draft.
Morrisons journey is captivating. Definitely rooting for him to have a healthy start and season.
May 5th, 2025 at 1:43 am
Gosh. So many articles on all these guys, I’m startin’ to feel kinda bad for that SMU dude we drafted. I bet he’s feelin’ left out, and wonderin’ why no one is talkin’ about him. He’s like the forgotten Buc. I hope he doesn’t get too down. Hopefully, he can use it as motivation. Maybe, it’ll give him that extra edge. And, he plays like his harr’s own farrr.
May 5th, 2025 at 2:21 am
Just watched this video now, wow what an incredibly nice family and he is special. Of course Jason Licht drafted him, as well he should. Knowing that the 1st hip had the same repair and was solid and normal for 5 years is encouraging. Cannot get over what an incredible nice family. Benjamin Morrison may very well end up as our best draft pick. All of them are good picks, no regrets on any of them. So glad Benjamin is a Buc!
May 5th, 2025 at 6:14 am
Did the Tampa Bay Buccaneers get the best receiver, and the best corner in the draft? Jacksonville thinks they got that in one player with their first round pick. They gave up a boat load to do it. But sitting at pick 19 the Bucs might’ve got the best pure receiver in the draft. Then like perfect ripe fruit at 53 is Morrison, who if not for the injury would’ve been a top ten pick. Time will tell, but I think we just got the best receiver, and corner in this draft.
May 5th, 2025 at 6:25 am
Ok, got it.
We don’t have to worry about this kid getting into trouble off the field.
He definitely checks off Licht’s ‘No Character Issues’ box.
But two things give me worry …
When I think ‘hip’ and football I think Bo Jackson—career over due to degenerative hip condition. Common sense has me thinking the Bucs medical reports are clear on that issue … so far. But it can’t be denied the hip area is most vulnerable due to overt exposure. Two hip injuries in such a short career? Hmmmm …
Second, we’ve been bowled over lately with Light’s character priority when drafting college players. It’s such a relief to know most all Bucs players could crew on the Good Ship Lollipop.
Then I think … If Licht was the Bucs GM in lieu of Rich McKay in 1995, would he have drafted a kid who was considered to have a ton of character issues, Warren Sapp?
Think Licht is good? Read about how Rich McKay went into the 95’ draft with one pick at #7 and walked away with both Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp.
May 5th, 2025 at 6:25 am
It’s gonna be frustrating for this fan not to get much of a feel for this dude in minicamps. Hope he shines for us though. Love the fact he has had the same surgery and recovered well from it. Being from Notre Dame says he is smart and probably not gonna be a knucklehead as Barkley would say.
Go Bucs!
May 5th, 2025 at 6:32 am
Absolutely LOVE “B-MOR” I see him becoming that next great corner for the Bay. The last time we had corner that was half way decent he decided to go slapping taxi drivers. Aqib “the menace” Talib. Those are the kinda guys u take a gamble on when your name is Mark Dominick and your one of the worst Franchises in the league. “Talent vs. character”Lol think it’s safe to say he would most def not be on Lichts draft board? 😂
What u guys think?
May 5th, 2025 at 6:52 am
It’s all about the medical staff and that’s worrisome. Winfield, Dennis, Kancey, Dean. And now Morrison. Dean is a good CB, when healthy. Winfield was great, when healthy. Kancey was great, when healthy. Dennis – hard to say, never healthy.
Godwin’s injuries have resulted from the violence of the NFL. And that’s part of the game. These defensive players all seem injury prone. Makes me wonder how Bucs are evaluating their ability to withstand the punishment of the NFL.
May 5th, 2025 at 8:02 am
Can’t go wrong when you pluck out a piece of what was one of the best defensive backfields in college football last season.
Another Defensive Minded Coach in the same Division got a kid from the same school, was ranked one of the top 3 safeties, and is being presented as one of the top ten perfect fits in the draft.
NFCS may still be the bottom of the Conference but three of the teams have taken steps to improve with the Saints as always being a coin flip as to whether they might be any good or not.
With the Bucs being ranked 8th best team in the league and having the 26th toughest schedule there is no excuse for not finishing with a minimum of 12 wins and winning the division.
May 5th, 2025 at 8:11 am
JA there’s been all kinds of conspiracy theories that had the Bucs planting the seed for Sapp’s fall, I remember watching that draft and interview with his agent beside him when Angelo from the Bucs made the call and was so happy when they came away with him. Before the draft they traded a troublesome QB named Chandler, who we got for a particular draft pick, to the Colts for a first rounder, maybe done the the season before? Can’t remember, but I remember after they got Sapp they got Brooks later in the 1st. round. That was killer.
May 5th, 2025 at 8:16 am
Licht has said they need to “love football” as well as have character to play for this team, if they can’t play they don’t get drafted regardless so I don’t think the point of view that they can’t have both is overstated and blown out of proportion. They have to be able to play first, then if they don’t check out from a personnel standpoint then they’re taken off the board unless they glaringly stand out as a rectal divot from the start.
May 5th, 2025 at 8:28 am
What a good kid from a good family.
May 5th, 2025 at 8:48 am
Dungy also emphasized player character. Sapp’s big no-no coming out of college (UM as I recall) was a fondness for pot. He was already known for being a horse’s butt with fans, but his excellence as a player overruled that fact. Dungy kept him cos he knew Sapp was a future HOFamer. The only ‘character issue’ Derrick Brooks had was a yen for the ladies. LOL. Plenty of young talent around who are quality human beings, too. Who wants to deal with a rap (criminal) sheet cancer?
May 5th, 2025 at 9:11 am
what a humongous gamble
May 5th, 2025 at 10:13 am
All of our best 4 corners- Dean, McCollum, Morrison and Parrish all ran a 4.3 40. That is a blazingly fast group of corners! Winfield and Tykee Smith each ran a 4.4 which is excellent for safeties…It’s going to be very difficult to get open against that kind of speed.
May 5th, 2025 at 10:52 am
If this kid can stay healthy we most likely have a great prospect.
But that is yet to be seen.
The fact he won’t be ready for rookie camp is concerning.
We already have an injury riddled defense and decided to add another.
Make it make sense.
May 5th, 2025 at 11:30 am
Looks like we have a great prospect here from a super nice family . Hoping the best for him.
May 5th, 2025 at 11:53 am
The list of FA at the end of the year is crazy:
Evans, Reddick, Hall, LVD, Goedeke, Otton, Zyon
That’s a lot of mouths to feed with $63M. Seems doable but I’m guessing Hall and Reddick aren’t included.
May 5th, 2025 at 3:04 pm
Ballwasher—
Prob too late for you to read this, but I too remember the conspiracies behind Sapp’s fall. Hard to believe the Bucs were in on them, especially if Sapp ever found out they were the reason he lost a good chunk of green by falling.
Orlbucsfan—-Dungy was not the head coach of the Bucs when Sapp was drafted. It was Sam Wyche.
May 5th, 2025 at 3:42 pm
I’m working from the back forward. On a later thread Joe speculates what would’ve happened if the Dolphins had taken Drew Brees.
The Dolphins were not the only team to pass on Brees remember it was the Chargers who had him and cut him free. In addition to a major injury Brees was always viewed as too small until he proved he wasn’t!
If Morrison heals and lives up to potential he COULD be a HUGE steal.
May 5th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
JA
====================================
Would not have drafted Sapp. He was known as a dirty player and from first hand experience he comes across as a loudmouthed lout. None of those things kept him out of the HOF but that doesn’t make up for the aforementioned negatives.
May 5th, 2025 at 10:16 pm
This guy is our future Starting CB.
Morrison and McCollum as our Tandem, with a hunter in Parrish at Nickel.
Smith and Winfield at S. #31 comes back to form, our Secondary will be top level before we know it. Better depth at every spot.
Wonderful job by JL