Cardinals Named Landing Spot for Sliding Draft CB

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals were thought by many to have potentially been in contention to take Michigan Wolverines CB Will Johnson with the 16th overall selection.

Now, there's a chance they could take him an entire round later.

Arizona - and all other teams - bypassed Johnson in the first round, leaving him as one of the top players available for rounds two and three of the 2025 NFL Draft tonight.

Johnson was considered to be one of the top cornerback options after Travis Hunter in this class before medical concerns seriously damaged his stock.

From SI National's Albert Breer:

"Michigan CB Will Johnson has a knee issue that’s been flagged. It shouldn’t affect him in the short term, but teams are concerned it could impact his longevity. Add to the questions on Johnson’s long speed, which were not allayed when he decided not to run a 40, and the Wolverine star could slide."

With seemingly all options on the table for the moment, the Cardinals were labeled as a landing spot for Johnson later tonight by Bleacher Report:

"Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department projected the Cardinals to take Johnson with the 16th pick in the first round, but Arizona opted to pass on him for Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen," wrote Andrew Peters.

"Still, the Cardinals have a need at cornerback and Johnson could fill it. While there's a risk in drafting him because of the injury concerns, taking him in the second round is a safe option that could turn into a home run pick if Johnson's knee injury proves to be a short-term issue.

"The Cardinals have the 15th pick (47th overall) in the second round."

Arizona has shown a willingness to bring on players with a past injury history through the draft with notable names such as Michael Wilson and Garrett Williams emerging as contributors after dealing with similar roadblocks.

Johnson - when healthy - projects as a strong boundary corner with great length and ability to play in either man or zone coverage.