Questions remain about star Michigan defender that could cost him millions of dollars
The NFL Draft is just eight days away and one if the more intriguing prospects is Michigan cornerback Will Johnson. After having a dynamite 2023 season, Johnson entered the 2024 season as a projected top-five going into the year, but an injury suffered against Illinois ended his season early. It's also hindered his pre-draft process, […]
The NFL Draft is just eight days away and one if the more intriguing prospects is Michigan cornerback Will Johnson.
After having a dynamite 2023 season, Johnson entered the 2024 season as a projected top-five going into the year, but an injury suffered against Illinois ended his season early.
It's also hindered his pre-draft process, which has been an issue concerning his draft stock.
Will Johnson might slide in 2025 NFL Draft
One of the best in the business when it comes to the NFL Draft is The Athletic's Dane Brugler, who just released his seven-round NFL mock draft on Wednesday. Earlier, he did an appearance with Kevin Clark on This Is Football and raised some concerns about whether Johnson could slide in the NFL Draft.
"The other one's Will Johnson from Michigan. I think a lot of people viewed him as a top-five pick coming into the year, but there were questions about the long speed. And then we talked earlier about not having the testing. He has not tested throughout the process. Hasn't run a 40 now. He's supposed to work out next week for scouts, but I had a scout text me just last week about and say, but a lot of money. He does positional workouts, but doesn't run the 40, and we might not have a 40-yard dash from him, and when it's a stopwatch position, and when you don't have a 40-yard dash from a corner, that creates some doubt.
"And so if Will Johnson is still available in the 20s, I don't think that should really surprise anybody. He's a good player, but there are enough question marks that a team like the (Green Bay) Packers could end up getting a really good player there later in the first round."
Johnson did work out and it didn't go as well as he had hoped. He did jump 37.5" in the vertical, but a disastrous 4.33-second short shuttle. It's especially concerning because his short-area quickness is a strength of his on film.
If you are an NFL team, what do you do with a player like Johnson? Not having that kind of data creates doubt, as Brugler said. If you have doubt in the first round, that usually means you'll end up passing on that player.
Johnson might see a slide down the board, and his wait in the green room could be a while, along with the potential of losing millions of dollars.
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