Will Johnson
Arizona CardinalsModel Score
How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →
STM Take
Rookie tier 8 (#73) for a 15th overall pick with the 2023 Michigan CFP National Championship pedigree is below the year-one median for top-15 CB prospects on Pro Bowl trajectories. The Michigan Big Ten 2024 All-Big-Ten honors plus the structural Cardinals anchor role gives him real college foundation. The 2026 question is whether Johnson crosses into tier 4-5 territory in his year-two jump or whether the structural rookie tier 8 finish flags real developmental concern.
Johnson came out of Michigan as the Arizona Cardinals' 1st-round pick (15th overall) in 2025 after winning the 2023 CFP National Championship with the Wolverines plus earning 2024 First-Team All-Big-Ten honors. The Cardinals installed him in the CB rotation as a rookie. His rookie 2025 finish at tier 8 (#73) reflects the year-one developmental band for top-15 CB prospects.
Strengths
- Michigan 2023 CFP National Championship pedigree plus the 15th overall draft slot establishes elite college foundation.
- Year-one starter snaps for the Cardinals at age 22 plus the structural anchor role gives him the developmental runway.
Concerns
- Rookie tier 8 (#73) is below the year-one median for top-15 CB picks on Pro Bowl trajectories given the elite college pedigree.
- Arizona's broader defensive identity around the multi-year rebuild compresses the structural support around Johnson.
What to watch: Whether Johnson crosses into tier 4 (top 30) in 2026, the standard year-two threshold for top-15 CB picks on Pro Bowl trajectories.
Comps
Will Johnson Injury StatusIR
Will Johnson is listed on injured reserve (Neck), reported Sep 23, with a return date of Feb 15. Source: the official NFL injury report, refreshed daily.
Draft & College
He lasted longer than consensus.
Covers the college seasons in our data, which does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Of the 320 players taken as a second-rounder between 2012 and 2021, 63% earned a second contract and 58% became starters. The median one started 44 career games.