Charles McDonald: Will Johnson didn’t have the greatest end to his college career as injuries cut his final season at Michigan short. At his best he can be a true eraser as a cornerback.
Johnson was an anchor for the national title-winning Wolverines defense a couple seasons ago and still should have teams salivating at adding a player who may be able to go toe-to-toe with the toughest wide receivers in the game.
Johnson’s sophomore season tape, at times, resembled what Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II has become in the NFL, although Surtain has a size advantage on him.
As long as Johnson can nail the interview portion of the cycle, he should hear his name called early.
Nate Tice: He has battled injuries in 2024, but Johnson’s talent still shines when he’s on the field.
A long player with good size, Johnson has the build and athleticism of a prototypical modern NFL cornerback. He uses that size to smother wide receivers. That’s not the only way he can do it. Whether it’s zone or man coverage, Johnson constantly stayed in the pocket of wide receivers, even smaller ones, with his excellent combination of quickness, burst and body control.
Johnson doesn’t have elite long speed, and his physicality is more “OK” than “good.”
He remains a fluid athlete who doesn’t get put in bad positions because of his ability to turn and run, and his ability to close on the football.
There will be some questions about Johnson’s inconsistent 2024 season and his injury history that teams are figuring out, but he has the upside to be a true No. 1 cornerback in the NFL in a variety of schemes.
