why is will johnson falling

Will Johnson's Draft Stock Decline Will Johnson, the standout Michigan cornerback, saw his NFL Draft projections drop sharply from a consensus top-10 pick to the second round in 2025, primarily due to lingering injury concerns that spooked NFL teams. Once viewed as a lockdown defender with elite ball skills, his fall became a hot topic in draft forums, with fans and analysts debating if medical red flags outweighed his talent.

Key Injury Issues

Multiple injuries plagued Johnson, raising doubts about his long-term durability:

• Toe Injury : Tore multiple ligaments in his toe in October (likely the prior year), sidelining him for three months and preventing full recovery proof—no 40-yard dash at pro day.

• Shoulder Problem : Missed a game last season after a tackle against USC; seen as less severe but part of the pattern.

• Knee Concerns : A major red flag, possibly involving cartilage or meniscus (not ACL), highlighted in pre-draft medical evaluations—teams feared arthritis risks.

These issues built over time: He missed games in 2023 and seven in 2024, skipped the NFL Combine and Michigan Pro Day, and clocked a slower 4.6-second 40 in a private workout.

Speed and Performance Dip

Forums pinpointed a noticeable decline in Johnson's elite speed, dropping him from top-3 at his position to 7th-10th rankings early in the season. This shift fueled his slide from top-7 projections just months earlier to 15-25 range by draft time, as scouts questioned if injuries eroded his twitchiness.

"His decline in speed is the reason for his recent struggles. He is not as quick as he was earlier in the season." — Reddit user erraboards

Forum Buzz and Team Reactions

Draft communities lit up with speculation:

• Mock Draft Central : Users puzzled by the "fall," hoping he'd land with teams like the Commanders.

• Vikings/ Raiders/ Falcons subs : Knee chatter dominated—"His knee appears to be in bad shape" got 25 upvotes.

• MGoBlog : Earlier injury absences (e.g., out again in Nov 2024) bred frustration among Michigan fans.

Multi-viewpoint takes:

• Optimists : Talent justifies the gamble; second-round value skyrockets his motivation ("They going to have to pay").

• Skeptics : Too risky without full medicals—Lions passed at pick 60.

• Trend Context : As of early 2026, his post-draft pro day limited workouts haven't fully quieted doubts, keeping him a trending "what if" in NFL circles.

Factor| Pre-Injury Hype| Post-Fall Reality
---|---|---
Draft Projection| Top-7 to 10 1| Second round+ 3
Speed Ranking| Top-3 CB 1| 7th-10th 1
Missed Events| None major| Combine, Pro Day, 40-dash 39
Main Risk| Low| Knee/toe cartilage 37

Johnson's story echoes classic draft slides—like injured stars who rebound big—but teams prioritized health in 2025. By February 2026, his rookie flashes (or lack thereof) could rewrite this narrative.

TL;DR : Injuries (knee, toe, shoulder) and speed loss tanked Will Johnson's draft stock from top-10 to Day 2, per medicals and forum consensus.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.