The NFL Draft is a living, breathing organism with college players sliding up and down draft boards on a day-to-day basis depending upon in-person interviews and individual workouts.
As the Buffalo Bills look to fill a vacant spot at cornerback, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has them named as an ideal landing spot for an All-American who NFL talent evaluators have had a tough time nailing down — Michigan’s Will Johnson.
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“A star since high school, Johnson has the length and ball skills to be drafted in the top half of the first round, ” Fowler wrote, “Teams love his ability to break on the ball. But Johnson needs to prove his durability after missing time with knee and shoulder injuries in college. Scheme will be crucial for him, too.”
“He needs to be in a vision zone scheme; let him attack what’s in front of him,” an NFL coordinator said. “If you want him to match up against the best guy every down, that’s not him.”
Buffalo, for that matter, plays a ton of zone coverage, utilizing plenty of ‘dime’ with six DB’s on the field at a time.
At 6’2″ and almost 200 pounds, Johnson has the size and reach to make plays on the ball, evidenced by his nine career interceptions. The two-time All-American started as a true freshman and turned three of his INT’s into scores. Johnson was considered a sure-fire Top 10 draft pick early on in the process but a shoulder injury and lingering lower leg injury have cast some doubts on his durability. The leg has also prevented him for running a 40-yard time for the scouts.
Now healthy, Johnson is on track to have his own pro day on Monday and, according to Fowler, an NFL coordinator believes doing so will help him, “Can’t tell how fast he truly is from the tape, ” the coordinator said. The chances of Johnson falling all the way to the Bills 30th pick is unlikely but anything can happen on draft day.
#Michigan CB Will Johnson 6-foot-2, 194Aggressive eyes/explosive, forward ability. Has the physical tools to align in press. Better suited to play off — with vision — given he’s more smooth than sudden. Ball skills/playmaking mentality (9 career INTs, 3 defensive TDs). pic.twitter.com/F7dns2V9Bv
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A Michigan native, Brian graduated from the University of Michigan in another century, where he earned a degree in economics and a Rose Bowl Championship ring while playing football for the Wolverines under Head Coach Gary Moeller. Brian went on to coach Division 1A football for several years before becoming a full-time writer and actor while maintaining an unhealthy interest in sports. He is currently developing a scripted television series, THOSE WHO STAY, based on a series of historical fiction articles he wrote about Bo Schembechler’s Michigan football program as they struggle to unite and win the championship – which requires beating #1 Ohio State – during the tumultuous civil rights and anti-war movements of 1969.
