It took a little longer than most expected it to, but Will Johnson has officially been drafted. Johnson is heading out west to Arizona, as the Cardinals have taken the chance on the top defensive back, despite rumors of his injury making teams wary of drafting him.
Johnson marks the fourth Michigan Wolverine taken in this year's draft, however, most thought he was a for-sure first-round pick. However, it came out that Johnson's knee injury and only playing six games in the regular season in 2025 made teams a little worried and caused him to slip into the second round.
The Cardinals got a steal with Johnson being one of the top-rated defensive backs in the NFL Draft.
.@Willj1228 is headed to Arizona!#ProBlue | https://t.co/XQwvBAc1Gr pic.twitter.com/KXmsU4bifa
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) April 26, 2025
After a long wait, Will Johnson is officially an Arizona Cardinal
The Arizona Cardinals worked a lot on their offense in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it seems they are focusing on he defense this time around. With their first pick, the Cardinals took Walter Nolen out of Ole Miss, a defensive tackle, and now they select Johnson.
Johnson should bolster a struggling secondary in Arizona that was ranked 14th in the NFL last season, according to Fox Sports. The Cardinals allowed an average of 216.1 passing yards to opposing quarterbacks last season.
A familiar face may not be so happy to welcome Johnson to Arizona, as the Michigan man will now have to be teammates with former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Johnson adn Harrison should be well acquainted with each other as Johnson had to guard Harrison Jr. on many occasions during their 2023 matchup.
Johnson will have to work to stay healthy while in the NFL, something teams were clearly worried about, and it affected his draft stock. If Johnson can stay healthy, working with some NFL coaches could take his game to another level with his speed and ability to stay with receivers in a route.