Will Johnson Talks Michigan, Mo Linguist, Top Three, Domani Jackson, More

Michigan is working on putting the finishing touches on the 2021 recruiting cycle as National Signing Day approaches on Wednesday, but a few prospects are already well established as top targets in the 2022 class.

Grosse Pointe (Mich.) Grosse Pointe South cornerback Will Johnson is one of those prospects.

The 6-3, 190-pounder is getting closer to making a decision and the Wolverines are squarely in the mix.

"Definitely the schools that are the highest level are Michigan, Ohio State and USC," Johnson recently said at a 7-on-7 event down in Miami. "I think they’ll all be in it the whole way. I don’t think anybody has a certain edge just because. Obviously USC is kind of far, so I’ll have to be super comfortable to go there."

Johnson recently spent time on USC's campus with now-committed fellow stud cornerback and friend Domani Jackson. The two have talked about being a package deal and Johnson insists that the talks are real.

"It’s real for sure," Johnson said. "We just have a great connection. We’re real friends and we know that if we both play together that could be the best secondary in college football. We could shut down each side."

Most see the Wolverines as the team to beat for Johnson. As an in-state kid, the son of a former Wolverine and clearly the top target at the position under new assistant Mo Linguist, Johnson has a lot of reasons to pick the maize and blue.

"Obviously it’s home," he said. "They got this new DB coach that I really like. Coach Linguist is definitely a great recruiter. He was very passionate. He’s letting me know that I’m his top priority, especially being from Michigan. He wants me to come in and help him put the program back where it should be.

"Honestly, I probably was going to commit [within the last couple of weeks] if I didn’t like who Michigan hired so now I’m going to wait it out. Right now I really don’t know when I might commit. Whenever it feels right; let everything play itself out."

Ohio State is squarely in the mix as well.

"Obviously it’s the great program they have and producing guys at my position," Johnson explained. "Going there I might not play as early, but when you do play you know you have a great shot at going where you want to go. It’s a different culture there that you would want to be a part of."

Johnson doesn't need to be in a hurry but it does feel like it's getting close to the end of the recruiting road for him. He's waiting things out a bit now with Linguist in the fold, but the process has become a bit overwhelming for him at times throughout the pandemic.

"It’s a lot of boxes," he said. "It goes all the way down to the way my position coach likes to coach techniques. There’s a lot of little stuff that will help me make my decision. At the end of the day, it’s where I feel comfortable. It’s all about where I see myself fitting in.

"I’m probably going to slow it down a little bit and let it my recruiting process play out. Some coaches are on me everyday. Some coaches just take the approach to talk to me once or twice a week and when they do I’m talking to the head coach and other coaches too. You can’t talk on the phone everyday so it does kind of get overwhelming. Obviously when a coach does try to get in contact with you everyday it does make it seem like they really want you, but at the same time it does get overwhelming."

Johnson isn't ready to set a timeline just yet, but whenever he pulls the trigger, it feels like it'll be Michigan or Ohio State. Johnson is the exact kind of kid the Wolverines have to land, so we'll see if Jim Harbaugh's new hires have the chops to procure a top talent from the state of Michigan even though he has better options available.

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