Michigan Football lands a cornerstone in 5-star CB Will Johnson

Michigan football scored one of the biggest recruiting wins of the Jim Harbaugh era Sunday with the commitment of five-star cornerback Will Johnson. 

It wasn’t always a certainty that five-star cornerback Will Johnson was going to commit to Michigan football. But on Sunday, there wasn’t much drama as we waited for his announcement.

Just about everyone knew where the destination was going to be, so it wasn’t a shock when Johnson committed to the Wolverines, officially, not long ago over Ohio State and USC.

The son of former Wolverine Deon Johnson essentially said something that was music to the ears of Michigan football fans: “The best in Michigan, stay in Michigan.”

It’s starting to become more a theme and it didn’t even start with Johnson. Donovan Edwards and Rayshaun Benny, two other elite in-state recruits, chose Michigan to close out 2021.

Now, with the addition of Johnson, the No. 1 player in the state of Michigan in 2022 and the No. 11 recruit overall in the class of 2022 according to the 247 sports composite rankings, the momentum for Michigan is undeniable.

As far as what the Wolverines are getting in Johnson, well, he might just end up being the most talented defender to play for Michigan under Jim Harbaugh.

He’s 6-foot-3, 190 pounds and his pro comparison is Stephon Gilmore. Here’s the scouting report from Allen Trieu of 247 sports who expects Johnson to be a first-round pick.

"“Has good technique. Smooth in his backpedal and transition. Smart as far as zone coverage. It is possible he will outgrow cornerback if he keeps getting taller and bigger, but at present, projects as a blue-chip boundary cornerback who will be an impact college player and have a good chance to be a higher draft choice.”"

It’s no secret that the Wolverines have struggled in the secondary over the years. The cornerback play was poor last season and there’s little doubt that Johnson will be a starter from day one. He’s the kind of kid that only stays on campus for three years.

But if you want to improve your pass defense, there’s probably no better way than with a 6-foot-3 lockdown corner who can play the ball like a receiver, cause he was a really good one in high school.

It’s really hard to overstate how important this is for Jim Harbaugh. Maurice Linguist, the new co-defensive coordinator, and cornerbacks coach was a huge part of this, but that shows what a good move that was by Harbaugh, because without Linguist, Johnson likely isn’t a Wolverine.

Johnson is the third secondary commitment in the 2022 class for Linguist, along with Taylor Groves and Kody Jones. Michigan is also in strong spots with Dillon Tatum and Jaeden Gould as well and the commitment of Johnson should only help.

This could be the start of a special class on the defensive side of the ball and Johnson, he’s not just a building block — he’s a cornerstone.