Ex-Michigan CB Will Johnson confident ‘I’ll go to the team that’s supposed to pick me’

• Former Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is projected as a first-round pick in April’s NFL draft.
• Johnson was unable to work out at Michigan’s pro day on Friday.
• Johnson was invited to April’s draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and said he plans to attend with family, an honor that’s typically reserved for the players most likely to be drafted in Round 1.

Will Johnson did not work out at Michigan football’s pro day Friday because of a hamstring injury he suffered while training, but the top cornerback in this year’s NFL draft said he plans to hold a private workout for teams April 14.

“It was kind of just (something that happened when I) got back from my toe (injury) in early January,” Johnson said. “When you’re doing the training we’re doing like this, it’s pretty intense, so just trying to run as fast as I can and hammy wasn’t ready for that yet.”

A first-team All-American in 2023, Johnson played in just six games last season because of a painful turf toe injury that he said left him unable to run for a period of time.

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He called the string of injuries “frustrating;” he also missed time with a shoulder injury last year. And while some questioned how hard he pushed to get back on the field last fall given his status as a potential top-10 pick, Johnson said “everyone in this building and coaches, players, they all knew what I was dealing with.”

“Couldn’t run, couldn’t walk at first in the boot, all that stuff,” he said. “So I mean, it sounds like a toe, but I want people that say it’s just a toe to go try to run and cut and do all those things without their big toe and see how that goes for you.”

Ranked the No. 10 prospect in the draft by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr., Johnson said teams have peppered him with questions about his injuries during pre-draft interviews but none seem overly concerned with his missed time.

Johnson had two interceptions last season after picking off seven passes his first two years and finished his Michigan career as the school’s all-time leader in interceptions returned for a touchdown. He held opponents to a passer rating of 52.6 last season, up from 30.9 in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.

“It’s been frustrating,” he said. “I mean, I’ve missed some games this season because of injury, ’cause the toe and then this hammy, but I mean that’s just what comes with it. So I know what I can do on the field and like you said, I got a lot of film out, so I’m just — I know I’ll go to the team that’s supposed to pick me, so I’m not too worried about it.”

Johnson was invited to April’s draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and said he plans to attend with family, an honor that’s typically reserved for the players most likely to be drafted in Round 1.

He has had pre-draft visits already with two teams that pick in the first half of Round 1 — the Atlanta Falcons (No. 15) and Arizona Cardinals (No. 16) — and has a third scheduled next month, with the Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6).

“I feel like I had a pretty good career here,” Johnson said. “Accomplished a lot of my goals, win a national championship, beat Ohio State, win Big Ten championship, so accomplished a lot of goals. But yeah, this season was tough. I mean, another goal was to do all those things this year, too, and I wasn’t able to be out there with the team.

“I did everything I could to be with the team and still help out the team in any way I could. But yeah, it was tough to not affect the game in a way I know I could and help the team get to that next level for sure.”

At the next level in the NFL, Johnson said he expects to impact games similar to how rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean did this year for the Philadelphia Eagles. Mitchell had 12 pass breakups in 16 starts and finished runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year, while DeJean started nine games, was fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

“I plan on having that type of year coming in and making an impact right now,” he said. “And the goal is always to help the team win first, win a Super Bowl, do all those things like those guys did do, and then try to get Rookie of the Year and all those goals, too. So that’s the plan.”

Dave Birkett will sign copies of his book, “Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline,” at 7 p.m., March 24, at the Birmingham Public Library. 

Order your copy here. 

Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.