In his short time at Michigan, Will Johnson has already accomplished a great deal. Two-time Big Ten champion, rookie All-American, first-team All-Big Ten cornerback, SI All-American, and, of course, national champion.
However, the rising junior, former five-star prospect, and anticipated first-round choice of the 2025 NFL Draft is aiming to build on his success this fall, and according to at least one publication, he will.
Pro Football Focus, a website that provides football analytics, ranked Johnson the top cornerback who will play collegiate football again in 2024 last week.
“Johnson immediately lived up to his five-star billing, posting a 91.1 grade in man coverage as a true freshman in 2022 to lead all Power Five cornerbacks,” PFF stated. “He followed it up by permitting just a 29.1 passing rating to enter his coverage as a sophomore, ranking fifth out of all collegiate football cornerbacks. This past season, Johnson allowed only three catches on six targets against Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze. He also came down with an interception.
“At 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, he possesses all the physical attributes you would want in a cornerback, including excellent speed, footwork, and ball skills.” He would be the first corner off the board in 2024 if he was eligible to be selected. In 2023, he would have also been the first to be taken. Johnson has the potential to be a unique cornerback prospect who is selected in the top five in April of next year.”
Johnson, a former top-20 recruit, has been excellent in his first two collegiate seasons. He has recorded 54 tackles, three tackles for loss, seven interceptions and seven pass breakups. This past season, he allowed 17 receptions and 267 yards on 38 targets. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson ranked second out of 226 FBS cornerbacks in passer rating allowed last season. In top-10 games against Ohio State, Alabama and Washington, Johnson allowed a combined five receptions and 93 yards on 13 targets, with two interceptions.
For his efforts, Johnson was named first-team All-Big Ten by both coaches and media, a first-team All-American by Sports Illustrated and a second-team All-American by The Athletic and USA Today.
Now, he leads a secondary that loses a number of key players such as Mike Sainristil, Josh Wallace, Keon Sabb and, most likely due to injury, Rod Moore. An opportunity to lead the defense is motivating Johnson as he enters his third season.
“I think just trying to be a better leader on this team this year, being more vocal,” Johnson said last week. “Tightening down the things that have always been kind of a normal thing. And some of the younger guys that might not know that just keeping that standard of what has been the last few years and just holding the guys to the standard that we’ve had. Just keeping that same mentality every day.”
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