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One of the bigger wildcards in the NFL this season is the Arizona Cardinals. They have one of the more intriguing rosters due to the talent on this offense and some emerging pieces on defense. Head coach Jonathan Gannon is a defensive mastermind, so with more talent, this defense should help Kyler Murray and the offense more, and that is a big recipe for success, especially with all of the pressure Murray is facing this year.
On Ari Meirov’s show “NFL Spotlight,” Johnny Venerable of PHNX was on to preview what the season looks like for the Arizona Cardinals, and he highlighted rookie cornerback Will Johnson as an early difference maker to watch for on defense. Will Johnson was drafted by the Cardinals in the second round with the 47th pick, but he had first-round grades, and it was seen as a steal that he fell that far.
Johnny Venerable said, “Will Johnson looks like a star in the making. They stole him at pick 47. The only way he fails is health-related. We’re told that he’s one of the smartest players in the defensive back room, and that’s a DB room with Garrett Williams and Budda Baker. How the veterans have flocked to him shows that they know he will be a big part of their defense. You’re talking about a young corner in the same vein as Patrick Surtain regarding his ability.”
After praising his ability, Venerable said his interception of Kyler Murray was extremely impressive.
“He had an interception off Kyler Murray over the weekend in the Red-White scrimmage with a massive crowd, and it just blew your mind, Venerable said. “It was a good route by Zay Jones and a good throw by Kyler, but an unbelievable play by the 47th overall pick.”
The Cardinals desperately needed a talent upgrade on defense, and Will Johnson fits that perfectly. Johnson’s issue in college, and one of the reasons he fell in the 2025 NFL Draft, was that he missed most of his junior season due to injury. However, when he was healthy, he was a game-wrecker, and in 2023, when Michigan won the national championship, Johnson played a key role in that.
In three years at Michigan, Johnson had 68 tackles, 19 passes defended, and nine interceptions, including three interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Jonathan Gannon has a defensive background, which is highlighted by his time as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator. Gannon and the Cardinals focused on defense in the NFL Draft, with six of their seven picks going to that side of the ball. Johnson will start and should fit seamlessly into the Cardinals’ defense, where he is set up to succeed.
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