NFL Analysis
9/25/24
4 min read
Michigan's Will Johnson Is 2025 NFL Draft's Best Cornerback, Not Colorado's Travis Hunter
In a loaded cornerback class for the 2025 NFL Draft, Michigan Wolverines star Will Johnson stands out among the rest.
A class that features one of the most fascinating two-way players in modern history in Travis Hunter also features one of the best cornerback prospects in years with Johnson. A first-team All-American and national champion in 2023, Johnson is off to a great start with a pair of interceptions and three pass breakups.
It's a loaded draft class for defensive backs, but Johnson has already established himself as the clear-cut CB1 based on the film and production.
Johnson's Star Potential
Johnson is already drawing comparisons to Denver Broncos star CB Patrick Surtain II. That's not by accident.
A 6-foot-2, 202-pound cornerback, Johnson has the ideal physical profile and athletic tools to be a lockdown cornerback on the outside. His size and length allow him to jam receivers at the line and stick with them all the way down the field.
The production is just as impressive as Johnson's athletic profile. He already has nine interceptions halfway through his third college season, with three going for touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, opposing quarterbacks have an NFL passer rating of just 49.5 on 108 targets thrown Johnson's way.
Johnson has more touchdowns (three) than touchdowns allowed in coverage (two). His elite instincts and click-close ability allow him to jump routes when quarterbacks least expect it.
PICK-SIX!!! 💪💪
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2024
Will Johnson making huge plays for @UMichFootball!!! 〽️ pic.twitter.com/Ff5QBLEa1w
Having elite ball skills doesn't just mean coming away with interceptions. It's also a skill at the catch point, attacking the ball to prevent catches. Johnson has a terrific feel for the timing of attacking the ball as it comes in to generate pass breakups at the catch point.
#Michigan CB Will Johnson
— Kendell Hollowell (@KHollowell_) September 23, 2024
Play through the hands‼️ pic.twitter.com/uQXtvU07GL
Johnson is very patient in man coverage, waiting to flip his hips until the receiver commits fully to their route. Once his hips are flipped, he still has great agility to transition from trail technique to triggering downhill.
The Michigan cornerback can even be an asset in run support. He uses his size to his advantage when engaging blockers at the point of attack, getting extended, and holding his own to avoid getting washed out. That being said, he still needs to get more comfortable with his technique as a tackler to reduce his missed tackles.
Michigan's defense has multiple potential first-round prospects in Johnson, Mason Graham, and Kenneth Grant. However, Johnson has the film and numbers to warrant a conversation as a potential No. 1 overall pick.
Hunter Is Good, But Johnson Is Better
The other cornerback drawing tons of interest ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft is Hunter, the two-way superstar at Colorado.
Hunter is a tricky evaluation when deciding whether he should play receiver or corner at the NFL level. However, when comparing his cornerback play to Johnson's, it's clear who the cornerback better prospect is.
Hunter's production is absolutely there, especially this season. He's been targeted 37 times in 2024 and allowed just 16 catches for 285 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions for a 47.7 NFL passer rating.
Hunter has elite instincts to predict where a quarterback is trying to throw, sometimes leaving his assignment to jump passes. He's also a terrific tackler, recording zero missed tackles through the first four games.
Travis Hunter has UNREAL post-snap processing as a corner.
— Tyler Brooke (@TylerDBrooke) July 6, 2024
Just has a feel for when to stay disciplined and when to drift off to make a play on the ball. pic.twitter.com/5CPJ3zspxR
Despite all of the success at cornerback, Hunter doesn't have the frame of Johnson to handle more physical receivers at the NFL level. Hunter is listed at just 185 pounds, and that's a big uptick after adding 17 pounds of muscle this offseason.
Hunter also lacks Johnson's length, which can hurt him in contested catch situations. However, nothing will bother NFL scouts more with Hunter than his bad body language after giving up big plays. It shows up multiple times on his 2023 tape, and it's something that teams will ask him about during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this February.
There's no debate that Hunter is a first-round pick and one of the most unique prospects in recent years. However, strictly evaluating him as a cornerback, Johnson gets the edge.
