Three 2025 NFL Draft prospects to watch from Notre Dame

With conferences realigning and the College Football Playoff reformatting, where does Notre Dame — still an independent — fit in? The Fighting Irish seem to be perennially trapped in the space that exists between simply good and one of the very best teams in the country, but there's also a real hope that this will be the year they break out in a positive direction.

A major part of the reason there's so much belief in this team is the amount of high-end talent on the roster. Of course, some of these players will look to achieve more than just a great season in South Bend; they'll be looking to the NFL as well.

Here are the three best Notre Dame prospects to watch ahead of the NFL Draft, which begins April 24, 2025:

Benjamin Morrison | Cornerback

ESPN's Matt Miller on Morrison : "Big-time talent"

Prospect ranking: Pro Football Focus (No. 11), Tankathon (No. 11), Pro Football Network (No. 3)

It's hard to find any negatives when it comes to an evaluation of Morrison, who burst into the national spotlight with a phenomenal performance against star Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. Once he captured viewers' attention, he just kept on impressing with great performances all season long. As good as he already is, Morrison is just 20 years old, so the ceiling is incredibly high for him to progress in the NFL and develop into a true lockdown corner.

Morrison's athleticism allows him to play extremely smoothly, as does the impressive football IQ for a player of his age. He's well-versed in man defense and at 6 feet and 185 pounds, he can match up well with most receivers as we saw when he squared off with Harrison. He also picked off Caleb Williams in a dominant win over USC, yet another instance in which he stepped up in a big spot.

Depending on your perspective, Morrison is either the luckiest or unluckiest player in this draft class. Most years, he'd be the clear-cut best cornerback, but with players like Will Johnson and Travis Hunter available, it's not clear or even likely that he'll be the first cornerback off the board. Of course, the prestige and short-term finances of being a high draft pick are appealing, but Morrison isn't getting out of the first round regardless, and a lower spot could very well mean a team that's more ready to succeed. It'll be fascinating to see where Morrison lands, given this unique situation at his position.

Howard Cross III | Defensive line

Fantasy Pros's Matthew Jones on Cross : "Really brings it on a snap-to-snap basis"

Prospect ranking: Pro Football Focus (No. 60), Tankathon (No. 56), Pro Football Network (Not Ranked)

Cross could very easily be in the NFL right now, but decided to come back for a sixth season in South Bend, in which he'll look to both help the Irish achieve something on a team level and boost his stock ahead of the 2025 Draft. At 6-foot-1 and 284 pounds, Cross is a true force on the defensive line and provides serious issues for any interior o-line. However, he still shows off some impressive athleticism for his size, as he's refined his ability to contribute in both the pass and run game.

A four-star recruit from New Jersey's prestigious St. Joseph Regional High School football program, Cross has lived up to the hype and more as he wraps up a distinguished Notre Dame career. His existing tape should pop in the eyes of NFL evaluators, as he already looks like a very solid value pick on day two; a big final year at Notre Dame could see him climb to the top tier of the second round, or even higher.

Mitchell Evans | Tight end

Sports Illustrated's Bryan Driskell on Evans : "An impressive athlete for his size"

Prospect ranking: Pro Football Focus (No. 62), Tankathon (No. 83), Pro Football Network (No. 72)

Evans is coming off of an ACL tear he sustained last year, one that stopped him from having a true breakout season. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, he has exactly the frame NFL scouts are looking for at the position, and he has displayed consistent hands to boot. He's also a positive contributor in the run game as a blocker, making him a true all-phases tight end.

After averaging 14.6 yards per reception last year before his injury, it's clear that Evans is a threat to make big plays and move the ball for significant chunks of yardage on any given snap. Health is the big question for Evans; will he get hurt again? Even if he's healthy, will he be the same as his pre-injury self? Naturally, every team will come up with its own answer to the latter question if it becomes relevant, but for now, expect Evans to be a high-upside day-two pick.