Charles Davis of the NFL Network released his Mock Draft 2.0, and he has the Dolphins adding the best cornerback in the draft with the 13th overall pick.
Round 1, Pick #13: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
“The Dolphins upgrade their CB room in a big way.”
Bleacher Report Draft Profile
HEIGHT: 6’2″
WEIGHT: 194
HAND: 9⅛”
ARM: 30⅛”
WINGSPAN: 75⅞”
POSITIVES
— Johnson has excellent length and size with a filled out frame.
— Plays with a patient, controlled backpedal. He flashes quick breaks with little wasted movement.
— He has coverage versatility to play both man and zone coverages, though he looks more comfortable when he is able to see and play the quarterback.
— Plays with anticipation and looks to make a play on the ball. He tries to rip through the catch point when not in position to play the ball.
— Strong tackler who looks to front up ball-carriers, wrapping them up for little extra yards.
NEGATIVES
— Inconsistent breaking with below average change of direction at times. He can get stuck in the mud and struggle with double moves. Allows too much separation when on top of route.
— Has a gambler mentality at times when playing the ball. This often pulls him out of position.
— Too handsy at times when working downfield. This can lead him to losing track of the ball and falling out of phase.
2024 STATISTICS
— 6 Games, 14 Tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INT, 3 PBU
NOTES
— Born Mar. 29, 2003
— Games Started: 32
— 4-Star recruit in the 2022 class, per 247Sports
— 2024: Only played in 6 games due to a turf toe injury
— 2023 CFP National Champion; CFB National Championship Game Defensive MVP; First-Team All-American; First-Team All-Big Ten
— 2022 Freshman All-American
OVERALL
Will Johnson is a standout cornerback prospect from Michigan, bringing a rare combination of size, length, and physicality to the position. Standing at 6’2″ and weighing 202 pounds, Johnson has the ideal frame for an NFL cornerback, complemented by a filled-out build that enhances his ability to compete at a high level. His performance in both man and zone coverage and his versatility and aggressive playing style make him a highly-regarded prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Johnson’s length and size are key assets in coverage, where he displays a patient and controlled backpedal, allowing him to stay balanced and ready to break on the ball. His ability to play both man and zone coverages provides valuable versatility, though he appears more comfortable when able to keep his eyes on the quarterback and react to the play as it develops. Johnson’s anticipation in coverage stands out, as he actively looks to make plays on the ball, often trying to rip through the catch point when he’s not in position to intercept. However, Johnson’s change of direction can be inconsistent, which sometimes leads to difficulties when reacting to double moves or staying close on top of routes. This can result in allowing too much separation at critical moments. Additionally, his gambler mentality, while occasionally leading to big plays, can also pull him out of position and expose his coverage to risk.
In the run game, Johnson is a strong, reliable tackler who takes pride in his physicality. He excels at boxing in runners and ensuring secure tackles, demonstrating a keen understanding of leverage and pursuit angles. His ability to blitz off the edge adds another dimension to his game, as he shows the ability to bend and disrupt plays in the backfield. Johnson’s top-end speed is evident in open-field situations, where he has shown the ability to chase down ball carriers and prevent long gains.
Will Johnson projects as one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft, with the potential to be an impact player early in his NFL career. His combination of size, length, physicality and versatility in coverage make him a valuable asset for any defensive scheme. While he will need to refine his change of direction and reduce his tendency to gamble in coverage, Johnson’s ability to disrupt plays both in the air and on the ground gives him a high ceiling. With proper coaching and development, Johnson can potentially become a top-tier defensive back in the NFL.
GRADE: 8.8 (Impact Player — 1st Round)
OVERALL RANK: 5
POSITION RANK: CB2
PRO COMPARISON: James Bradberry
The Draft Network Draft Profile
Size:
Height: 6016
Weight: 194
Arm: 30 ⅛”
Hand: 9 ⅛”
Accomplishments:
First-Team All-American (2023) • First-Team All-Big Ten selection (2023) • Defensive MVP, 2023 National Championship Game • Defensive Freshman of the Year honors (2023)
“Will Johnson is a No. 1 lockdown-caliber cornerback prospect who can blanket opposing wide receivers because of his instincts, athleticism, and coverage ability. He epitomizes the terms ‘impact player’ and ‘difference-maker.’”
Strengths:
- Technical refinement
- Great closing burst/speed
- Lock-down cornerback
- Scheme versatility
- Ballhawk potential
Concerns:
- Turning to locate the ball
- Two-handed punches in press coverage
- Consistency as open field one-on-one tackler
Film Analysis:
Will Johnson is a former five-star recruit who enters the NFL draft as one of the blue-chip prospects in the draft. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Deon Johnson, a defensive back at Michigan who helped them win three Big Ten Championships in the early 90s. Johnson offers the potential to be an outside lockdown cornerback with what appears to be elite length, speed, hip fluidity, and ball skills. He has great vision, instincts, and the combination of NFL size and athleticism to thrive versus NFL No.1 receivers. Johnson is a ball-hawking corner who had nine interceptions in his three-year career, showing instincts and ball skills.
Johnson effectively plays man-to-man coverage with patience, remaining square, and good footwork. He uses peer and mirror steps to shadow his receiver at the line of scrimmage. With his ability to mirror receivers and not overreact to their movements, Johnson displays strong football IQ with his pre-snap leveraging, essentially funneling the receiver to the strength of the coverage called. He thrives at “taking away something, to chase something.” Johnson uses strong punches to quickly jam his receiver outside and squeeze them to the sideline. He showcases the potential to be a suffocating man coverage defender with his stature, movement skills, and instincts.
In zone defensive coverages, Johnson is special. He has a smooth backpedal transitioning downhill with an explosive trigger and burst. His ability to play from his depth landmarks and bait QBs into throwing those dangerous out routes is great—it is a strength of his game. He has great closing speed/burst to get into phase and position himself to disrupt the pass and receiver. He has great zone eyes and remains disciplined with his readings. Johnson’s fluid hips help his transitions to be as smooth as possible without much wasted movement. He is great at undercutting routes attempting to force turnovers and pass breakups. He does a great job attacking and raking the receiver’s hands at the catch point.
An area of concern for Johnson’s draft profile is his inconsistency in playing press-man coverage. Johnson at times will be overaggressive at times and open his gate, allowing the receiver to release up the field vertically and get into their route. He does a good job remaining in phase and in position down the field but doesn’t consistently look for the football. If corrected, Johnson can make more plays on the football while in the hip pocket of his receiver.
Johnson uses a two-hand punch to shock his receiver at the line of scrimmage. This opens him up to quick counters that’ll place him into trail position early in the rep. Johnson is a willing tackler in space but needs to improve his technical approach. He reaches and lunges toward his target instead of consistently breaking down to wrap up. These concerns are coachable.
Overall, Johnson projects as a starting outside cornerback for teams that run multiple coverage concepts—Cover 3, 4, and 6 plus man-to-man. He has a high ceiling to develop into a true lockdown defender.
Prospect Projection: Day 1 – Rare, All-Pro
