Cardinals Rookie CB Named 'Perfect' Fit

The Arizona Cardinals are thrilled that they were able to select Michigan cornerback Will Johnson in the second round of the NFL Draft.

Johnson was viewed as a top-10 draft pick in the year leading up to the draft, but a Lisfranc injury scared teams, moving him down to the second round at No. 47 overall.

The Cardinals saw a fit for him in the defense, and so did NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks, naming Johnson as one of the 10 players who are "perfect" fits for their new team.

"Jonathan Gannon’s vision-and-break scheme perfectly matches Johnson’s skills as a ballhawking cover corner with superb instincts, awareness and diagnostic skills," Brooks wrote.

"The 6-2, 194-pounder is terrific at anticipating routes based on the hash-split rule and quarterback clues. The Cardinals' defense features several zone-based concepts that will enable Johnson to produce turnovers in a scheme that encourages him to play aggressively in a “see ball, get ball” manner."

The other players on Brooks' list were New York Jets offensive tackle Armand Membou, Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Mike Green, Washington Commanders cornerback Trey Amos, New York Giants defensive tackle Darius Alexander, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson, Atlanta Falcons defensive back Xavier Watts and San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James.

Assuming Johnson stays healthy, he will have a chance to earn the starting job for the Cardinals at cornerback opposite Sean Murphy-Bunting. He will have to beat out Starling Thomas V, Max Melton, and fellow rookie Denzel Burke, among others.

If Johnson can excel alongside first-round defensive tackle Walter Nolen, the Cardinals have potential to boast one of the best draft classes from this year.

Johnson will be with the team during rookie minicamp from this Friday until Sunday.