Cardinals Rookie CB Named Best Value Pick

The Arizona Cardinals are very bullish on their second-round rookie cornerback Will Johnson, who they were surprised to be able to take with the No. 47 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Bleacher Report writer Brent Sobleski feels the same way, naming Johnson as the best value pick in the Cardinals rookie class.

"The Bleacher Report Scouting Department graded Michigan cornerback Will Johnson as a top-five prospect in this year's class. It did so without having access to medical records, which is exactly why Johnson fell into the second round," Sobleski wrote.

"Throughout the draft cycle, Johnson dealt with a Lisfranc injury. He also tweaked a hamstring during predraft training, and combine medicals raised concerns over a knee issue. Obviously, the culmination of those issues led to a significant draft slide.

"The Arizona Cardinals selected the defensive back with the 47th overall pick. If Johnson stays on the field, the Cards may have gotten the steal of the draft since the 2023 national champion was considered the class' best pure cornerback prospect. Johnson could easily be the squad's top corner by the end of the 2025 season."

Johnson would have certainly been a first-round pick had it not been for the injury, but teams were nervous about taking someone with such a medical question mark with a high pick.

The Cardinals have a chance to truly develop Johnson and make him one of the key cornerstones of the defense if he can stay healthy and get ready to go for the upcoming season.

Johnson and the rest of the Cardinals rookies will participate in the team's minicamp for first-year players from May 9-11 at the team's facility. Arizona's draft picks include Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen, Johnson, Oregon pass rusher Jordan Burch, Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon and cornerback Denzel Burke, Texas offensive lineman Hayden Connor and Nevada defensive back Kitan Crawford.