Michigan CB Will Johnson draws comparison to former top-10 pick, first-team All-Pro

Trent Knoop | Nov 16, 2024

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It hasn't been the season All-American cornerback Will Johnson had hoped for. Not only is Michigan sitting at 5-5 after winning the National Championship last season, but Johnson hasn't been on the field a ton after dealing with injuries in 2024. Johnson has played in six games this season and the last coming against Illinois where he had to exit the game early.

But even with the nagging injuries, Johnson is still viewed as one of the top players in college football and Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 2 player in the 2025 NFL Draft. Johnson has had three pick-sixes in his career which set a Michigan record. He has had two of them this season with a big one coming against USC earlier in the year.

With the success and tangibles Johnson possesses, ESPN's Fielding Yates compares Johnson to former Alabama shutdown corner and Denver Broncos' All-Pro, Pat Surtain.

"This is an extremely lofty comparison, which is kind of unfair to a player who hasn't even finished his college career. But it's also a testament to the caliber of prospect Johnson is right now. Like Surtain (Broncos), Johnson has a blend of size (6-foot-2, 202 pounds), instincts, ball skills and reactive agility that allows him to align with receivers of all different sizes and styles. Johnson has nine career interceptions, and he has returned three of them for touchdowns."

As long as Johnson can stay away from the injury bug when he heads to the league, there is little doubt he can establish himself as one of the premier corners in the NFL. Johnson has the size and the ability to play in with the best of the best.

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