Cardinals halt Will Johnson's slide in 2nd round

The Arizona Cardinals selected Michigan cornerback Will Johnson in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 47th overall.

Johnson entered the draft process as one of the top-rated cornerbacks following a successful college career. The standout defensive back was part of the Wolverines' CFP championship team in 2023. He left Michigan with nine interceptions and three pick-6s.

A knee injury caused Johnson to miss nearly half of this past regular season as well as testing during the draft process. Concerns about the knee led to the productive cornerback sliding from first-round prospect to second-round selection.

"They were saying things about my knee and all that and I haven't really dealt with it in two years, so that's definitely frustrating, but it's all good," Johnson said after being selected, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss.

He'll join a cornerback group in Arizona that includes Max Melton and Sean Murphy-Bunting.

Pre-draft profile

Johnson has the traits of a potential game-changer at the next level. He's an outstanding cover man with the size to match big-bodied targets on the outside as well as the fluidity to stick with quicker receivers. The playmaking traits are the big selling point here, as Johnson recorded nine interceptions across three seasons at Michigan, three of which were taken back for touchdowns. His knack for turnovers is a product of playing with great anticipation, the aggressiveness to jump routes, and the ball skills to finish at the catch point. Johnson can occasionally get caught out of position when he's chasing those opportunities, so picking his spots will be key at the next level. He could also stand to improve his tackling consistency in the run game. But the coverage upside gives him true shutdown cornerback potential. Johnson showing teams at his pre-draft workout that he's fully recovered from a season-ending foot injury would put him in position to prove as much from Day 1.