The Detroit Lions had a golden opportunity when they were on the clock with the 28th overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night. Coming off one of the best two-season stretches in franchise history, the Lions could have snatched a player that was a potential top 10 pick in Michigan cornerback Will Johnson and reinforced their secondary with last year’s first-round pick Terrion Arnold.
In the end, the Lions did add to their defense but not in the way fans imagined as Detroit selected Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams with their first-round pick. While the former Buckeye adds some depth to a defensive line that could be without Alim McNeill at the beginning of the 2025 season, many wonder if they screwed up passing on Johnson.
But the Lions had reasons for that decision, and it could help Williams become the right pick in the long run.
Lions Were Right to Pass on Will Johnson in NFL Draft
When it comes to this draft class, there aren’t many cornerbacks better than Johnson. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound cornerback was ranked second among corners by Dane Brugler of The Athletic and was a star on the Wolverines’ defense as a three-year starter. Brugler’s scouting report also mentions that Johnson is comfortable in press and off coverage but also needs to work on his tackling mechanics and execution.
A player with high IQ and a proven track record should be something any team wants on their roster. But there were a couple of drawbacks that caused him to slide out of the first round on Thursday night.
The first issue is Johnson’s injury history. He had his knee scoped following the 2022 season and missed seven games last season with shoulder and toe injuries. The latest chapter came on draft night when ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that he was also dealing with a knee issue that some NFL front offices consider a lingering issue.
Michigan CB Will Johnson Jr. has a knee issue that has concerned some NFL teams and helps explain why he still has not been selected.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 25, 2025
A more specific issue for Detroit is that Johnson didn’t play a lot of man coverage at Michigan. Johnson played 13.7% of his snaps in man coverage, posting a 50.6 grade according to Pro Football Focus last season. Johnson fared better with 24.3% of his snaps in man coverage in 2023 but it was a small sample size of 78 snaps over 12 games.
You could argue that Johnson has the size and length to be a man corner but the Lions may not have time to develop that skill as they chase a championship. New defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard also said there wouldn’t be many changes after Aaron Glenn’s departure as he essentially doubled down on man coverage while speaking to The Athletic’s Colton Pouncey.
“I want to play man – we want to play man,” Sheppard said. “I’m going to pressure a little bit. So, these things are not going to go away. We are what we are, but ultimately, it’s always going to be about ‘How do we put the players we have in the best position to have success, which in turn gives us the ability to have success?”
Even if the Lions were comfortable with Johnson’s knee, putting him in man coverage 46.9% of the time – which Arnold did in his rookie season – doesn’t sound like putting Johnson in the best situation to have success. That puts the team under and gets an underwhelming contribution from a first-round pick.
Selecting Williams may not be the popular move, but it’s the right one and should benefit the Lions greatly in 2025 and the long run.