Cowboys 2025 draft scouting report: CB Will Johnson

Here is our scouting report on Will Johnson from Michigan

We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at cornerback Will Johnson from Michigan.

Will Johnson

CB
Michigan Wolverines
Junior
4-star recruit
6’2”
202 lbs

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

History

Will Johnson was born on March 29, 2003, in Detroit, Michigan. His father, Deon Johnson, was also a cornerback for Michigan in the 1990s. Johnson attended Grosse Pointe South High School in Michigan, where he was a four-year varsity starter. As a senior, he was an All-State selection, amassing 45 tackles, a sack, an interception, and 12 pass breakups on defense. He also contributed significantly on offense with 42 catches for 667 yards and six touchdowns among other contributions, totalling 1,302 all-purpose yards.

He was a highly-rated recruit, with a four-star rating from 247Sports, and in 2022 he joined Michigan. Johnson made an immediate impact for the Wolverines in his freshman year, becoming a starter and playing in all 14 games. He recorded 27 total tackles, two tackles for loss, three pass breakups and three interceptions.

In his sophomore year, Johnson was named a First-Team All-American, contributing significantly to Michigan’s national championship win. His performance included key interceptions, notably one in the national championship game against Washington, earning him the Defensive MVP award. He ended the season with 27 tackles, four pass breakups, four interceptions, and a pick-six against Minnesota that he made in the first 15-seconds of the game.

Johnson’s junior year was riddled with injury which hindered his production. Despite missing half the season with lower leg injuries, he still managed two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns which led the nation, and one tackle for loss.

2024 Statistics

279 Defensive Snaps
14 Total Tackles
1 Tackle for Loss
3 Pass Breakups
22 Defensive Stops
5 Pass Breakups
2 INT
2 INT-TD
2 Penalties

NFL Combine/Pro Day

TBC

Awards

All-American (2024)
Second-team All-Big Ten (2024)
CFP National Championship Game Defensive MVP (2024)
All-American (2023)
First-team All-Big Ten (2023)

Scorecard

Overall- 88.9
Speed- 90
Acceleration- 89
Agility- 90
Strength- 80
Tackling- 77
Zone Coverage- 88
Man Coverage- 80
Press- 85
Discipline- 98

THE GOOD:

• Johnson possesses the perfect frame for an NFL cornerback, with excellent length and a filled-out build.
• He shows good versatility playing press, off-man, or zone coverage.
• Plays with a patient and controlled backpedal, which allows him to stay balanced and ready to break on the ball.
• He shows an exceptional ability to read plays, especially in zone coverage where his instincts and vision shine.
• Demonstrates an elite level of ability to locate and make plays on the ball.
• Effectively jams receivers at the line of scrimmage and uses his size to box out opponents.
• A willing tackler in run support, showing physicality when engaging ball carriers.
• His ability to blitz off the edge adds another layer to his game.

THE BAD:

• There are concerns regarding his durability due to injuries.
• He needs to refine his technique in man coverage, particularly in terms of change of direction.
• Will take unnecessary gambles.
• There have been instances where his tackling form could be more consistent.
• Will play overly aggressive which takes him out the play.
• Needs to be more consistent with pursuit angles.

THE FIT

There are some red flags with Will Johnson but his production speaks for itself, and in three seasons at Michigan, he accumulated 68 tackles, nine interceptions (including a school-record three pick-sixes), and 17 pass breakups.

Regardless, his elite talents and skills project him as a high first-round pick, with some mock drafts even considering him in the top 10. His combination of size, speed, physicality, and football IQ suggests he could be an immediate impact player and potentially a franchise cornerstone at cornerback.

His game tape paints the picture of a highly talented, versatile, and impactful cornerback prospect, but his main challenges will be maintaining health and refining some technical aspects of his game for the professional level. During the combine and team interviews his medical review will play a crucial part in how teams view him.

Johnson’s ability to excel in both coverage schemes would make him a seamless fit for Dallas. Johnson’s size, length, and physicality at the line of scrimmage would be a huge asset, effectively disrupting routes at the snap, providing the Cowboys with a physical presence on the outside. The Cowboys have had issues with consistency and injuries at the cornerback position in recent years and this upcoming season other cornerbacks are set to hit free agency. With players like Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, adding Johnson would not only bolster the starting lineup but also provide much-needed depth and competition. Johnson could be seen as a long-term solution or complement to Diggs, whose aggressive style leads to big plays

COMPARISON

Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos

BTB GRADE

11th

CONSENSUS RANKING

8th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services)