Michigan Football: 5 Wolverines who need to live up to the hype

Cornelius Johnson

It’s been a long time since Michigan football had a wide receiver picked in the first round of the NFL draft. It actually hasn’t happened since Braylon Edwards.

Ronnie Bell is poised for another big season in the slot but Michigan knows what its getting from Bell, who should have a shot at reaching 1,000 yards in 2021.

What the Wolverines need though is a threat down the field and on the outside. That ideal person for that role is Cornelius Johnson, a former top-200 recruit out of Connecticut.

Johnson has a rapport with expected starter Cade McNamara and caught 16 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns last season including two in the win over Rutgers from Cade.

Johnson is 6-foot-3, 211 pounds, and was listed by Zach Shaw of 247 sports as a breakout candidate. He also wrote this about the wideout:

"“If there’s one player not already on draft boards who stands out as a future star for Michigan, it’s Cornelius Johnson. A former four-star recruit, Johnson put up impressive Combine stats in high school, posting a laser-timed 4.58-second 40-yard dash, 4.13-second shuttle run and 36.7-inch vertical leap at 6-foot-2. Johnson has bulked up since then, but sources have indicated to 247Sports that his testing numbers are even better than they were in high school.”"

With all the physical tools needed to excel, Johnson has been impressive this offseason for the Wolverines and that’s carried over to the fall.

Last season, he had two games with over 82 yards receiving and the Wolverines only played in six. If he can translate that production over a full season, Michigan football could have not just one, but two receivers with 1,000-yard potential in 2021.