Mason Graham drops unfiltered take on former Michigan teammate Will Johnson not being drafted in first round

Coming into the 2025 NFL Draft, Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson was widely expected to be a top 10 pick in the first round. However, this did not happen, and Johnson slid down the board.

This can be a lonely experience for a player in the green room, seeing other players, some of whom were your teammates, begin their professional journey when you are just sitting there waiting your turn. But Johnson was not alone in his wait, thanks to fellow Wolverine Mason Graham.

Graham was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the fifth pick of the draft. However, after doing the required media interviews, he returned to the green room to accompany his teammate.

Johnson would not be drafted in the first round. Will Graham spoke about what he thought about this to the media on Friday morning

"Everyone had him (Johnson) written down for the first round. So this is worst case scenario."

Will Johnson was one of the best cornerback on the Michigan Wolverines roster over the last few years. He was a key part in their championship winning side of 2023 and retained his form going into the 2024 season.

During the 2024 season, Johnson recorded 14 tackles and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a pick six touchdown. His numbers would have been much higher, if it was not for an injury he recieved during the season.

Despite having one year of eligibility remaining, Johnson declared for the 2025 NFL draft, and was seen as a definite first round pick.

However, due to injuries ruling him out of the NFL Combine, his stock price began to fall as teams were concerned about his long-term fitness.

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When was Will Johnson drafted?

In the end, Will Johnson did not have to wait as long as Shedeur Sanders to get his name called at the 2025 NFL draft.

Johnson was drafted in the second round by the Arizona Cardinals. After being drafted, he addressed the injury concerns surrounding him by saying:

"They're saying things about my knee and all that. And I haven't really dealt with it in two years, so that's definitely frustrating.”

Johnson will hope that any injuries affecting him will be cleared as soon as possible. This will allow him to begin practising with his new Arizona teammates, as they hope to be competitive in the NFC West this season.