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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | cardinals | 2 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | cardinals | 12 | 37 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Cornerback
- Group
- injuredReserveOrOut
- College
- Michigan
- Hometown
- Detroit, MI, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- day-to-day
Latest news about Will Johnson
All news →Cardinals' Will Johnson Could Miss the Rest of the Season With Neck Injury
The second-year cornerback left Sunday's loss to Seattle in the second half. Mike LaFleur said it is not yet clear whether surgery will be needed, and Starling Thomas takes over his role.
100 days to kickoff: the MVP picks, breakout sophomores, and injury timelines that will define 2026
The season opens September 9 with a Super Bowl LX rematch. Here's the state of the league at the 100-day mark, from Mahomes' comeback to the moves that just reshaped three contenders.
