Insider Lance Zierlein of NFL Network released his latest 2025 NFL mock draft. The first-round simulation laid out a perfect opportunity for the Pittsburgh Steelers to strike as his mock draft witnessed a top defensive prospect drop to Mike Tomlin's selection. It seems unlikely that this will happen when the draft occurs, but prospects jump up and down draft boards.
Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is the pick in Zierlein's latest simulation.
It would be shocking to see this top cornerback fall to Pittsburgh's pick at 21st overall. It would be a monumental surprise, and Johnson would be terrific value for the Steelers. Zierlein briefly described the pick, but he believes Johnson could see his stock sink from his lack of pre-draft involvement.
"The slide ends for Johnson," Zierlein writes. "If he runs a strong 40-yard dash at Michigan's pro day, that will boost his stock. For now, he ends up taking his impressive ball talent to Pittsburgh."
The Steelers plans in free agency will directly affect who they target in the upcoming draft. They have needs in the trenches, receiver, cornerback, and other areas. Pittsburgh must fill those holes, and hopefully, they can accomplish that task by locating upgrades. Taking Johnson here would be a shocker, but he would help boost their secondary.
Pittsburgh Steelers land ball-hawking Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson in latest NFL mock draft
It would be difficult for Omar Khan to take Will Johnson over others available in the mock draft. Another Michigan product, Kenneth Grant, was still on the board in Zierlein's mock draft. It would be overwhelming for the Steelers to bypass a strong defensive lineman that Grant is known to be. They need to get younger in the trenches, but taking the best player available is always best.
Despite overlooking their need at receiver and along the defensive line, Johnson is a terrific get. Most fans would be thrilled to see a prospect like this fall. Pro Football Focus has the top cornerback ranked 14th overall on their big board. ESPN and NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah have him listed as the 11th-best prospect coming out of the draft.
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There are negative traits surrounding Johnson. He oozes the same problems that many cornerbacks do: Johnson isn't great in run support, and sometimes it comes off as ugly. He needs to clean that up at the next level. Some are concerned about his speed, but he should calm any worries by running an effective 40-yard dash at the Michigan Pro Day.
He might have some flaws, but it's hard to see him taking a tumble this vast during the draft.
The Steelers taking Johnson in this first-round mock draft is bold by Zierlein. No one expects a top cornerback to fall to this point in the process. Unless he continues to skip the testing portion of the pre-draft process, it's difficult to foresee this ballhawk getting past the top 15 selections. He is a great talent and someone who would be a lovely addition to Tomlin's defense.