A press-man cornerback out of Michigan whose rookie tape with Arizona matched the first-round hype, even if his draft slide didn't.
Will Johnson is a cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals, selected 47th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Michigan. After a strong but injury-shortened rookie year, he projects as a building block in Arizona's secondary heading into 2026.
Path to the league
Johnson was a standout cornerback at Michigan, where he was a key part of the Wolverines' run to the 2023 national title. Considered by many a top-15 talent, he slid to the Cardinals at pick 47 in the second round, a fall attributed to injuries during his final college season and the predraft process. He signed his rookie contract with Arizona shortly after.
Career highlights
As a rookie, Johnson drew Rookie of the Year buzz through the season's first stretch, posting one of the league's highest PFF coverage grades while not missing a tackle early on. He profiled as exactly the lockdown corner Michigan fans expected once he got on the field.
2025 season
Johnson's promising debut campaign ended early when he suffered a knee injury. He finished his rookie year with 37 tackles, 10 pass breakups and a forced fumble across a partial season, leaving the Cardinals encouraged about his ceiling.
Sources
- Yahoo Sports: Cardinals CB Will Johnson's promising rookie season ends with knee injury
- ESPN: Will Johnson player page
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
12 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | cardinals | 12 | 37 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Cornerback
- Group
- defense
- College
- Michigan
- Hometown
- Detroit, MI, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
