CB Will Johnson Prospect Deep Dive: Could The Former Five Star Be a True Lockdown Corner?

After Darrell Revis, the league hadn’t seen a player with the pedigree of being a true lockdown Corner up until recently. Sauce Gardner was the one who changed that, but it remains unobvious if we see another Corner on the level of Sauce or Revis any time soon. Will Johnson has had as close to lockdown level Corner play as I’ve ever seen in a prospect. The only other prospect on that level was Derek Stingly Jr., who ended up not performing as well in his final collegian year. Johnson is a former five-star recruit with a rare physical profile. We’ll get into that later, but understand he can hang with just about any athlete out there.

While he’s been borderline lockdown up to this point, we don’t know how that translates or if it continues for the remainder of the season. He’s already even had some low points this year. Someone like Stingly hasn’t been nearly as dominant in the pros, and Sauce wasn’t dominant in college. We’ll see if he continues his dominance in the NFL, but for now, just enjoy the show he’s putting on at Michigan because we don’t often see Corners like this, even in college.

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Will Johnson’s Stats (per PFF)

(Through WK Four)

Film Analysis

In the clip above, Will Johnson faces Marvin Harrison Jr. in off-man coverage, instinctively recognizes the short in route, and cuts off the route aggressively. You have to love how physical he is when he plays the ball despite Marvin’s size.

Playing far off the ball here, Johnson does a fantastic job of subtly forcing the Receiver out of the playing field on the vertical route. He isn’t phased by the little hitch in the Receiver’s route and remains calm in phase.

He’s playing a match coverage in this one after pressing the Receiver and just shows exceptional fluidity to hang with Rome Odunze and then passes off his zone seamlessly.

In the Slot at the bottom of the screen, Johnson shows phenomenal press-man technique. He’s patient and doesn’t lunge forward at all, but instead waits for him to put his hands up and uses both of his to jam the route as the Receiver tried breaking.

Grades

OVR Grade: 1-100

IMP: Impact Grade

POT: Potential Grade

Will Johnson’s Pros And Cons

Will Johnson Bio

True lockdown Corners are nearly extinct nowadays. However, Will Johnson is one of the few prospects from recent memory who has a chance to fit that billing. His physical skill set is elite and he’s been imposing fear and dread into QBs lives for three years now.

Pros

• Outstanding athlete in every facet of the game; long, well-built, elite explosiveness, and enough speed and fluidity to hang with nearly anyone.
• With excellent length and a sturdy frame, he had some dominant reps in press coverage, especially when he got both hands on the Receiver.
• Staggering footwork while mirroring Receivers, considering his size.
• Ability to flip hips, shift pace, and stop and turn is extraordinarily rare for his size.
• Has an incredible vision of the field, especially for being only a true Junior. He knows when to bail his zone and will aggressively crash down on a route when necessary.
• With elite burst, proper size, and his mentality, he can be a Safety-like ball hawk down the line.
• Only allowed four receptions in man coverage since the beginning of 2023 on 16 targets (as of week four).
• Had a sensational Freshman season, but then teams blatantly avoided him.
• Effort as a run defender is undeniable. He also goes even harder when the game is important or is on the line. Lays some good hits too.

Cons

• Like most young corners, he’s still undisciplined in zone coverage and bites on double moves too often.
• While his ball skills are there when his body is facing the incoming pass, when the ball is thrown behind his back, he has trouble playing it.
• Needs to consistently lean more on his footwork and technique in press coverage rather than relying on his size and physicality. He’ll occasionally get over-aggressive and lean inside or throw a two-hand punch too quickly leaving him susceptible to getting burned off the line.
• Was very grabby in the championship game against Washington.

Combine (TBD)

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Pro Day (TBD)

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All-22 Exposures

• Ohio State, 2023
• Alabama, 2023
• Washington, 2023
• Texas, 2024

Final Conclusion on Will Johnson

You can’t deny he’s been a menace for opposing offenses at Michigan, but whether he continues to up his game is a question mark. Yeah, he’s shutting down many good college Receivers, but to hang with some of the NFL’s best, he must continue improving. One of the reasons we see a lot of busts from highly touted Corners is they just stay who they were in college and sometimes lose confidence. Will Johnson is reportedly an excellent teammate and leader and I love the attitude and swagger he carries. That tells me he’s more than likely dedicated to becoming better and I’d bet on Will Johnson becoming an all-pro.

He’s far from the bust-proof day one-stud type, but if he locks in during NFL training camp, expect to see him hit the ground running. His explosiveness and size-fluidity combo will aid him early on and certainly make up for some of his deficiencies. One of the best aspects of Johnson’s game is his scheme versatility. He’d obviously be an ideal guy to man up Receivers in press coverage, but ultimately, I don’t see how he couldn’t thrive in any scheme. Joshnon will be a hot draft topic this year, and if he continues playing the way he has, he’ll be a candidate to go first overall.

Value – 1st CB/ Top Five