Lions NFL Draft Watch: Why Benjamin Morrison Is Intriguing

Here are five 2025 NFL Draft prospects the Lions should be closely watching Saturday.

Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison (20). / Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK

Week 5 of the 2024 college football season continues Saturday, and features an intriguing slate of games.

The most highly-anticipated contest of the day sees No. 2-ranked Georgia (3-0) traveling to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to take on its bitter SEC rivals, the No. 4-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0). Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson and Georgia safety Malaki Starks will be among the many top collegiate players suiting up for the game. Lawson and Starks are also two of the five 2025 NFL Draft prospects the Detroit Lions should be keeping a close eye on this weekend.

Let’s take a closer look now at Lawson and Starks and those three other draft prospects taking the field Saturday.

Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison

Morrison profiles as a Pro Bowl-caliber corner at the next level, and Detroit, even with a much improved secondary, could afford to add a defender of his skillset. 

The 6-foot, 186-pound Morrison, a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist a year ago, recorded three interceptions and 10 passes defensed as a sophomore in 2023. He's skilled enough to line up both in the slot and on the boundary, and from both spots, can effectively shut down the opposition's best receiving option.

He possesses all the intangibles necessary to grow into an NFL team's No. 1 cornerback.

I'll be closely watching him during Notre Dame's matchup with Louisville Saturday afternoon.

Penn State TE Tyler Warren 

Warren would form a dynamic tight end duo with Pro Bowler Sam LaPorta. 

Warren, standing in at 6-foot-6, 261 pounds, is a behemoth-sized man with the ability to make a difference in the passing game due to his high-end ball-tracking skills and hands. He's also more athletic than you think, as a former high school quarterback.

He posted 34 receptions for 422 yards and seven touchdowns a season ago, and is off to a solid start in 2024, with 16 catches, 226 yards and two touchdowns to his name. 

He's certainly worth keeping an eye on during the Nittany Lions’ primetime tilt with Illinois Saturday.

Alabama LB Deontae Lawson

Lawson is a smooth-looking linebacker with a solid athletic profile and overall knowledge of the game. For good reason, he's been Alabama's designated “green dot” player this season, with the responsibilities of calling out the plays from the middle of the field.

Checking in at 6-foot-2 and at least 230 pounds, he also has the physical makeup to play the position – and regardless of scheme – at the next level. 

Lawson could start in a variety of NFL teams’ defenses come the start of the 2025 season.

Georgia S Malaki Starks 

A first-team All-America selection in 2023, Starks is the definition of a playmaker coming out of the safety spot. 

The 6-foot, 185-pound Starks packs a lot of athleticism, along with a high football IQ and solid ball skills. It certainly seems like his skillset will translate well to the next level. 

Starks finished his sophomore season with 52 total tackles, three interceptions and seven passes defensed. Plus, he's already secured an interception in 2024.

He faces a big test Saturday night, going up against the Alabama Crimson Tide in a must-see SEC clash.

Michigan RB Kalel Mullings 

A class of 2020 four-star linebacker, Mullings spent most of his first three seasons in Ann Arbor playing defense. He rose to the role of Michigan's No. 3 running back during its run to the national title last season, and hasn't looked back since. 

The 6-foot-2, 233-pound bruising back provided the Wolverines with a breakthrough performance a week ago against USC. He accumulated a career-best 159 yards and two touchdowns in Michigan’s 27-24 triumph over the Trojans. And, he now has 429 rushing yards to his name through four games.

I'll definitely be keeping an eye on him during the Wolverines’ contest with the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday afternoon.