Name: Will Johnson
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 202 lbs.
High school: Grosse Pointe (MI) South
Position: Cornerback
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #2
Last year: I ranked Johnson #2 and said he would be a starting cornerback with 50 tackles and 4 interceptions (LINK). He made 27 tackles, 1 tackle, 4 interceptions (for 80 yards and 1 touchdown), and 8 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 91
Johnson went ahead in year two and staked his claim for being one of the top cornerbacks in Michigan history. He was a First Team All-Big Ten corner and an All-American, helping to slow down some of the best receivers in the country. The 6'2", 202-pounder limited Ohio State's Marvin Harrison, Jr. to 5 catches for 98 yards when matched up over the past two seasons, and top-10 pick Rome Odunze for Washington had 5 total catches for 87 yards and 0 touchdowns in the national championship game.
Some of Johnson's highlights include jumping a Harrison slant route for an interception and returning an interception for a touchdown against Minnesota. He's been making highlight-worthy plays since the second half of his freshman year, including a mostly stellar game against Purdue in the Big Ten Championship Game in 2022. Every player is going to get beaten sometimes, but it seems like challenging Johnson is almost always a poor choice.
I had a tough time picking a #1 player this season. It came down to DT Mason Graham (who was #3), TE Colston Loveland (who was #2), and Johnson. I was recently listening to the Move the Sticks podcast with Daniel Jeremiah, who talked about a study that came out comparing defensive performance between pass rush or coverage. The results of the study showed that good coverage helps out the pass rush more than a good pass rush helps out coverage. On top of that, Michigan has decent backups on the defensive line (T.J. Guy at edge, Rayshaun Benny at DT), but even Michigan's #2 corner Jyaire Hill is unproven. If Johnson were to go down, it would likely be up to Hill and FCS transfer Aamir Hall to hold down the corner spots. Ultimately, if Johnson were to get hurt, games against Texas's Quinn Ewers, Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, and the wide receiver talent of Ohio State look a whole lot more difficult.
Prediction: Starting cornerback; 35 tackles, 3 interceptions
"The results of the study showed that good coverage helps out the pass rush more than a good pass rush helps out coverage."
ReplyDeleteI would have guess it the other way around, but that's because I can't count the number of times I've heard about the importance of getting push from the DL. I'm thinking now that good coverage helps more because it give the DL that extra second or so to "get home."
Johnson as #1 seems good. It helps that he's the anti-Deion ... Will Johnson is soft-spoken and humble, which when coupled with his amazing talent makes for a great, great combination. He seems like a fine young man.
There's not more a stressful situation than seeing everyone covered ... Unless you're a runner, it's dead man walking
DeleteYes, that's the general idea, that good coverage gives the pass rush another second or so to get to the QB. It also probably just flat-out eliminates some options. If you have an elite CB who takes away the #1 WR most of the time, you go from 4 possible options on a given play to 3. Or from 3 to 2. Etc.
DeleteTwo is one, Sure, but can he catch passes and return punts on his way to a Heisman?
ReplyDeleteWell...Michigan should sure use someone to catch some passes.
DeleteI agree. This is the guy.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard exactly who is quarterbacking the defense, but I have heard Will Johnson's name thrown out there. Even if it's smoke, that's pretty big with me as I can't think of many corners that have had lots of set responsibilities. That kind of football smarts in addition to all the size, and physical ability gives this guy a chance to get into the conversation for GOAT at corner. That isn't the same thing as actually getting a consensus as GOAT, because ... Chuck ... but rather to a place where you say his name and everyone starts nodding like they know what you're talking about.
Perfect first game for Will. A bit of an ego check -- you can't gamble too much or even unexceptional talents will toast you. Maybe our WRs weren't quite putting the fear of God in Will in practice. So he got beat a few times and that should be a good reality check. But he also got his highlight TD return in, so hopefully he stays aggressive.
ReplyDeleteTHIS x 1oo!
Delete*Lank's account has been hacked!
I agree. And it's not rare for a star player to struggle in a game like this. I think it was similar to J.J. McCarthy against BGSU last year. You're a little overconfident because it's "just" BGSU or Fresno, and then all of a sudden, you're having a rough day because they're better than you thought and you can't just go out and wing it.
DeleteNot just superstars. There's an corollary to "iron sharpens iron". Not everybody is going to do their best if they aren't challenged, and if it happens consistently -- you aren't going to get better.
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