Miami has needs at safety and offensive line, but Johnson’s playmaking ability could be too good to pass up in the first round.
The Miami Dolphins have drafted just one first-round cornerback since 2009 (Vontae Davis), but with the 2025 NFL Draft approaching, they may have a chance to change that.
The Dolphins will need a new starting safety duo, and the offensive line is a glaring weakness, but can they pass up adding Michigan cornerback Will Johnson if he’s still on the board at pick No. 13?
Johnson, 21, is always around the football. He was named the 2023 National Championship defensive MVP after intercepting Michael Penix Jr. five seconds into the second half. He has intercepted nine passes over his three-year college career, returning two of the last three for touchdowns.
Once projected as a top-five draft pick, Johnson played just six games last year due to a shoulder contusion and turf toe. Still, he was named second-team All-American after finishing the year with 14 tackles, three pass breakups, and two interceptions.
Miami released Kendall Fuller earlier in the offseason, opening up a starting cornerback spot across from Jalen Ramsey. With the Dolphins expected to pursue offensive linemen in free agency and quality safeties available in the second wave, Johnson could be a day-one starter for a defense that averaged less than one takeaway per game last season.
While Johnson comes with injury risks, he played 26 games over two seasons with the Wolverines before last season’s struggles. Ramsey is entering his 11th season, and the Dolphins must get younger on defense. If Johnson falls to 13, the chance of selecting a day-one starter — with the ceiling of a defensive cornerstone — needs to be considered before going in a different direction.
Johnson to miss Pro Day but plans private workout
Johnson recently suffered a hamstring injury that will prevent him from participating in Michigan’s Pro Day on March 21. ESPN’s Jordan Reid reported that the hamstring injury isn’t serious and that Johnson will have a private workout on April 14.
Johnson reportedly met with the Dolphins at the NFL Combine and has floated between picks 9 and 15 in recent mock drafts. Once projected as a top-five pick, Johnson’s stock remains fluid, with over a month left before the draft kicks off in Green Bay on April 24.
