Will Johnson at NFL combine: ‘I know I’m the best corner in this draft’

The NFL draft is under two months away, and several Wolverines could be off the board on day one. Defensive tackle Mason Graham seems to be a lock for the top five, and cornerback Will Johnson likely won’t last much longer.

Neither prospect will compete in combine drills this weekend, but they are expected to participate in Michigan’s pro day on March 21.

Will Johnson on being the best cornerback in the draft

A recent CBS Sports mock draft has Johnson going No. 14 overall to the Indianapolis Colts. At the combine Thursday, Johnson told Pro Football Talk he wants to prove he’s No. 1.

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“(I have) a lot of respect for him,” Johnson said of cornerback Travis Hunter. “He won the Heisman, he did a lot of great things, but I know I’m the best corner in the draft. I’m just waiting until I get on the field (to) let the play do the talking.”

Johnson missed much of last season with a toe injury, but it didn’t hurt his stock much, if at all. He said his situation was more serious than it may have seemed.

“It sounds like it’s just a toe,” Johnson said. “But I had tore some ligaments in my toe, so I couldn’t run, couldn’t plant, couldn’t do anything like that until mid-January.”

When it comes to covering a receiver, Johnson might be right in saying he’s the best available. However, at the highest level, cornerbacks are tasked with taking down some of the most menacing ball carriers on the planet. Johnson said he recognizes what he needs to work on in the NFL.

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“I would say tackling. I would say that’s my most inconsistent thing I put on tape,” he said. “Just cleaning that up and being more consistent with that for sure.”

Depending on how his pro day goes, Johnson could be a top-ten selection.

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