Former Michigan wide receiver Cornelius Johnson was selected by the his former college head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers with the No. 253 pick in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Johnson spent five years with the Michigan program, helping the Wolverines win the national title this past season. In 2023, he finished with 47 catches, 604 yards, one touchdown and 12.9 yards per catch.
Over the course of his career, Johnson reeled in 138 catches, 2,038 yards, 14 touchdowns and 14.8 yards per catch.
As a member of the Class of 2019, Johnson was a four-star recruit out of Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 1 overall prospect in the state, the No. 30 wide receiver in the class and the No. 181 overall prospect in the class.
What draft analysts are saying about Cornelius Johnson
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein evaluated the tape and gave his take on Johnson’s ability as a pro. The former Wolverine went into the draft as a projected fifth or sixth round pick.
“Johnson was a three-year starter, with all three seasons including action in the College Football Playoff,” Zierlein wrote. “He’s a big, tough target who displayed improvement making the difficult catch in 2023. He has decent speed but is encumbered by ragged route running that fails to hit the mark with footwork or timing. Johnson’s play strength and competitiveness can become a problem for smaller cornerbacks when the action heads down the field.
“He’s a chippy run blocker with the potential to become a weapon as a perimeter blocker. Johnson’s size and traits will be lauded, but he might need a simpler route tree to be at his best as a pro backup.”
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