Arizona Cardinals second-round draft pick Will Johnson speaks to the media at the Arizona Cardinals training center on May 8, 2025, in Tempe. Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Inside Look: Arizona Cardinals Rookie Settling In Before Training Camp

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Caleb Skinner | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 1:45 PM ET

Training camp has finally arrived and the Arizona Cardinals are hoping for something special.

There is plenty of optimism surrounding what this iteration of the Cardinals can accomplish in 2025. Arizona, while not receiving the most attention, has been a popular pick to make the playoffs since not reaching them since 2021.

They put in the work this offseason to improve their roster, which should help lead them to success this season if all goes according to plan.

There was a question mark on whether their second-round pick, cornerback Will Johnson, would make it to camp as he had yet to sign his rookie deal after being drafted, but the team and Johnson were able to get a deal done earlier this week.

Shortly after the signing, Johnson released a video on his personal YouTube account, giving a behind-the-scenes look at him settling into the place he now calls home.

From Michigan to Arizona

It is always cool to get an inside look at the life of an NFL player, and even cooler when you get to ride along with a rookie who is making the transition from college to the league.

Johnson is now all settled in and will get ready for his first training camp as a pro.

Johnson spent three years at Michigan, where he became one of the game's best cornerbacks. A two-time All-American and two-time All-Big Ten selection, Johnson recorded 68 tackles, 10 passes defended, and nine interceptions (three returned for a touchdown - a Michigan school record) throughout his career. Johnson was instrumental in the Wolverines' National Championship run in 2023 and was named Defensive MVP of the National Championship game.

Johnson was one of the last rookies to sign his rookie contract, but is now all squared away just in time for camp to start. Much will be expected out of the rookie in his first season in the league. The Cardinals will ask him to immediately step into a starting role to help balance out the rest of an above-average secondary.

If Johnson can mesh alongside the rest of the Cardinals' defense, it could lead to them seeing success much sooner as long as the offense continues to play at a high level or takes it to a whole other level.

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This article first appeared on Arizona Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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