Michigan Football Snapshot: Cornelius Johnson

Cornelius Johnson isn't talked about as much as Giles Jackson or Mike Sainristil, but he's got a chance to make a splash in 2020 as well.

When it comes to wide receivers expected to make an impact for Michigan in 2020, Cornelius Johnson is often left off the list, but not so fast. 

At 6-3, 209 pounds, he's very different than Giles Jackson and Mike Sainristil and could fill the void left by Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black as another big-bodied receiver to play alongside Nico Collins and Ronnie Bell. As a freshman, Johnson had only four catches for 61 yards and a score, but showed some flashes of being pretty darn good.

More @CorneliusNation, yes please. pic.twitter.com/fDHbWIYiGW

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) May 7, 2020

2020 Outlook

We know that Nico Collins and Ronnie Bell are going to be options No. 1 and No. 2 for whoever plays quarterback for the Wolverines but who is going to step up at No. 3? Johnson is going to battle Giles Jackson and Mike Sainristil for the position and because he's built differently and provides a different skill set when compared to Jackson and Sainristil, I think Johnson is going to have a role.

Johnson has great size and body control and is a really smooth athlete in space. He's not going to juke people left and right like Jackson or Sainristil, but he's going to get separation and be able to out muscle and high point the ball better than the smaller receivers.

Wide receiver numbers are obviously going to be pretty dependent on how the quarterback plays and how Josh Gattis calls the offense, but I still see a decent jump for Johnson. 

I predict that wide receivers Collins, Bell, Jackson and Sainristil, along with tight end Nick Eubanks, will all have more catches than Johnson, which doesn't leave a lot of balls for the rising sophomore receiver. Shea Patterson completed 214 passes last year, so if you work from that number, there might only be 40 catches available for Johnson, rising sophomore tight end Erick All and the backs, who weren't overly involved in the passing game last year. Johnson should finish the season with around 15 catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns.

Johnson might find himself in the backseat for one more season behind Collins and Bell, but 2021 could and should be a breakout season for the former Gatorade Player of the Year from Connecticut.