Will Johnson Already Being Compared To One Of The Best Cornerbacks In The NFL

Heading into his junior season, Will Johnson is expected to be maybe the best cornerback in the entire country.

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive back Will Johnson (2) against the / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Rising junior cornerback Will Johnson is set. He was a mainstay on the nation's No. 1 defense en route to a national title and he's about to play his third year of college football, making him eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft. For Johnson, it's not about which round he'll be drafted in, it's about how high in the first he'll be picked.

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The 6-2, 202-pounder has basically been the most talented member of Michigan's secondary since he set foot on campus two seasons ago and now he's returning as an elite cover man and as an important leader on what should be another stellar unit under new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Through two seasons, Johnson has recorded 14 pass breakups and seven interceptions, one he returned for a touchdown. He also has 54 tackles including three for loss. He's big, physical, fast, disciplined and has great ball skills. That's why the folks at Pro Football Focus see him as one of the best cornerback prospects coming out of college in a while. In fact, they're already comparing him to one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.

Will Johnson is ELITE〽️ pic.twitter.com/PYyOi3R4H0

— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 7, 2024

Surtain, who also wears the No. 2, is listed at the exact same size at Johnson — 6-2, 202 pounds — making the two of them even more similar. On the field, they're a lot alike as well. Here's the write up for Surtain when he was coming out of Alabama just three short years ago.

Lockdown, press-man cornerback with elite size, length and talent to match up with any brand of receiver from any place on the field. He was a five-star recruit coming in and he consistently competed for championships in high school and college. Surtain possesses elite physical and athletic traits with the rare combination of length and short-area quickness that allows him to play on a press-man island and phase routes on all three levels. He plays to his length with plus technique and cover skills that make winning downfield a very challenging proposition. He was beaten in true man-to-man battles for 29-plus yards just five times during his career. His ability to stay connected to the route allows him to shut down yards after catch very quickly as a strong, wrap-up tackler. Run support goes in there, as well. He's been well-schooled at home and at Alabama. He's wired like a future All-Pro cornerback.

- Lance Zierlein

If Surtain's name and schools weren't mentioned in that breakdown, you'd literally think it was about Johnson. The two of them are built the same, play the same and might have a similar professional trajectory. Surtain has already been a team MVP, a Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro. If Johnson continues to develop at Michigan, he'll probably be drafted a little sooner than Surtain, who went to the Broncos at No. 9 overall in the 2021 Draft. After that, Johnson's skill set should put him in a position to suceed just as Surtain has. It's going to be fun to watch a junior Johnson at Michigan before he heads off to play on Sundays.