2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Has Johnson’s injuries complicated his draft stock?

The cornerback position was believed to be one of the deepest and most talented in the 2025 NFL Draft class coming into the season.

However, that perception has faded somewhat, though not because of prospects’ play on the field. Instead, it’s more a result of many of the top cornerbacks suffering injuries this year.

Michigan’s Will Johnson was widely considered the top corner in the country after playing a significant role in the Wolverines’ Championship defense a year ago. However, he was sidelined for much of the year and the draft process with various injuries.

Is he still highly regarded by teams? Or has his draft stock cooled with him off the field?

Prospect: Will Johnson (2)
Games Watched: vs. Alabama (2023-2024 CFB Playoffs), vs. Washington (2024 National Championship Game), vs. Texas (2024), vs. USC (2024)
Red Flags: Knee (surgery, spring 2023), shoulder, turf toe, hamstring (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football

(Note: Johnson reportedly recorded a 37-inch vertical leap and 4.33-second short shuttle at the Michigan Pro Day.)

Strengths

Best traits

• Football IQ and awareness
• Zone coverage
• Closing burst
• Physicality
• Ball skills

Will Johnson is a good-sized, smart, and instinctive cornerback prospect.

Johnson has near-prototypical size for the position at 6-foot-1, 194 pounds. He was listed at 202 pounds and might play at closer to 200 pounds in the NFL. While Johnson isn’t a great athlete overall for the position, he does have quick feet, fluid hips, and a solid closing burst.

He primarily played outside in Michigan’s scheme and was asked to execute zone, off-man, and press-man coverage schemes. He was able to execute everything asked of him, but was clearly at his best in off (off-man or zone) coverage.

Johnson is a very intelligent player and an active communicator both before and after the snap. He shows a clear understanding of offensive concepts and processes the offense very quickly. He’s highly instinctive and there are instances where he’s breaking on the ball almost before the quarterback can begin his throwing motion. His awareness, processing, and closing burst make him a dangerous player to test in coverage, and he had two interceptions in six games in 2024 – both of which he returned for touchdowns. Quarterbacks frequently avoided his side of the field in the tape viewed.

Johnson is also physical for a cornerback and willing to be aggressive in press coverage or taking on blockers. He generally uses good form when tackling and is generally reliable (although not always pretty) in getting the ball carrier on the ground.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

• Long speed
• Press-man coverage
• Injury history

There are two main concerns with Johnson’s profile.

The first concern is his overall athleticism and his long speed in particular. Johnson lacks the speed to turn and run with receivers down (or across) the field. Likewise, he lacks the recovery athleticism to make up ground if he’s initially beaten or bites on a double-move. Those issues are most apparent in man coverage, and he can struggle to stay in phase with athletic receivers.

They can also show up in zone coverage if he’s asked (or forced) to cover a broad swath of field. In that case, he can be late to arrive at the play, or his lack of speed can result in poor angles and missed tackles.

The other, and potentially much larger concern, is with Johnson’s overall health and durability.

He missed the beginning of Michigan’s 2023 season due to off-season knee surgery, and he dealt with shoulder and toe (turf toe) injuries over the course of the 2024 season. He also suffered a late hamstring injury which prevented him from participating in much of the draft process. Teams will need to pay close attention to his medical reports and decide how much risk Johnson’s injury and potential durability concerns pose.

Game Tape

(Johnson is the Michigan cornerback wearing number 2.)

Projection

Will Johnson projects as a starting outside corner for a zone defense at the NFL level.

Johnson’s value could vary significantly depending on the team viewing his tape. Teams that make heavy use of aggressive man coverage concepts could come away from their evaluations disappointed in Johnson. However, teams that use high rates of Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells could view him as one of the best defenders in the draft.

Johnson is at his best playing in off coverage, with a comfortable cushion and his eyes in the backfield. That can limit his vulnerability to double moves as well as deep speed on vertical routes. Likewise, playing downhill allows Johnson to make full use of his awareness, processing, and burst.

That is, of course, pending his medical exams. Those will likely be the deciding factor in Johnson’s overall draft stock.

Does he fit the Giants?
Schematically yes, but not from a value perspective

Final Word: A first round talent.