Will Johnson knew the NFL would bring change. The speed, the physicality, the playbook, the pressure—none of it was going to resemble his college experience. But one thing he didn’t expect? Feeling right at home in a locker room filled with Buckeyes.
The Arizona Cardinals selected Johnson in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, looking to bolster a young and hungry secondary with one of college football’s most technically sound and physically gifted cornerbacks. A Michigan man through and through, Johnson starred for the Wolverines, earning All-Big Ten honors and becoming a household name in Ann Arbor. But now, as he settles into his new NFL life in the desert, he’s surrounded by something very familiar—rivals.
A quick scan of Arizona’s defensive meeting room tells the story. There’s Denzel Ward, a veteran corner and two-time Pro Bowler who’s mentored countless young defensive backs since entering the league in 2018. There’s J.T. Tuimoloau, the second-year edge rusher whose college highlight reel includes big moments against Michigan. Ronnie Hickman, another former Buckeye, roams the back end of the defense. And that’s just the defense. On the offensive side, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is already one of the team’s biggest stars.
“I told my dad after rookie minicamp, ‘I think I’m surrounded by more Buckeyes now than I was during any game week in college,’” Johnson joked. “It’s crazy.”
Crazy, maybe—but it’s also the NFL reality. In a league increasingly driven by talent over tradition, former college rivalries dissolve the second a player steps onto an NFL practice field. Still, that doesn’t mean Johnson has forgotten the emotional weight of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. After all, he played a key role in helping the Wolverines snap a losing streak to the Buckeyes and start a new streak of their own.
“It’s definitely something I carry with pride,” Johnson said. “We flipped the script while I was there. Michigan started winning that game again. So I’ll always have that in me. But at the end of the day, these guys are my teammates now. We’re all Cardinals.”
The mutual respect is already there. Despite the colors they wore in college, the former Buckeyes on the roster have welcomed Johnson with open arms. In fact, Denzel Ward was one of the first to reach out, offering guidance on how to make a smooth transition from college star to pro.
“Denzel’s been huge,” Johnson said. “He’s seen everything in this league—Pro Bowls, contract negotiations, different defensive coordinators, everything. He told me, ‘Forget the rivalry, we’re all trying to win here. You’re family now.’ That meant a lot.”
The bonding has gone beyond film study and weight training. Johnson said some of the Buckeyes on the team gave him a bit of a good-natured hazing during his first week—light-hearted jabs about “joining enemy territory” and losing bets over the rivalry. But Johnson gives as good as he gets.
“I might’ve sent a few reminders about what happened in Ann Arbor the last few years,” he laughed. “I try not to rub it in too much, but I have my moments.”
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, a former defensive backs coach himself, sees Johnson’s personality and pedigree as a perfect fit for what the team is building defensively. He’s also not too worried about any lingering rivalry tension.
“These guys are pros,” Gannon said. “They’ve been through some wars in college, sure, but what matters now is how they gel as a unit. And Will’s already showing leadership, even as a rookie. He asks the right questions, he competes every rep, and he’s not afraid to lean on the veterans. That’s what we want.”
One of those veterans, J.T. Tuimoloau, says the Big Ten bond—even across rivalry lines—is real and stronger than any past competition.
“We all came from the same place, really,” Tuimoloau said. “Big Ten football is different. It’s physical, it’s tough, and it makes you grow up quick. Will knows that. I know that. So it’s easy to respect a guy who came from that grind.”
Johnson’s grind has been well-documented. A five-star recruit out of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, he turned down offers from nearly every powerhouse program in the country to stay close to home. He arrived at Michigan with sky-high expectations and lived up to every one of them, becoming the team’s shutdown corner, a leader in the locker room, and a reliable voice during one of the most successful stretches in program history.
Now, he’s learning to adjust to a very different kind of spotlight. The NFL stage is unforgiving, and Johnson has already seen flashes of what it takes to thrive—whether it’s mirroring Marvin Harrison Jr. on routes during practice or deciphering a new playbook filled with terminology he’s still mastering.
“Every day is a lesson,” Johnson said. “There’s no play where you can take a breath. Everyone’s faster, everyone’s smarter. But I love it. This is exactly where I wanted to be.”
Cardinals defensive backs coach Greg Williams said what separates Johnson isn’t just his athleticism—it’s his preparation.
“Will is years ahead of most rookies in terms of film study and instincts,” Williams said. “That’s Michigan’s influence. You can tell he was coached well and that he takes the game seriously. He’ll have growing pains like anyone, but the foundation is elite.”
And as that foundation continues to take shape in Arizona, Johnson’s unique situation—being a Wolverine in a room full of Buckeyes—is helping him develop a deeper appreciation for the sport as a whole. He says the rivalries he once lived and breathed now feel like a shared badge of honor.
“You realize how much respect you actually have for those guys once you’re not trying to knock each other out every November,” Johnson said. “I used to circle their names in red when I watched film in college. Now I’m learning from them. That’s football, man.”
He’s not the only one adjusting. Cardinals fans, too, are learning to root for a former Michigan star just as they’ve embraced the Buckeyes already on the roster. And if early signs mean anything, Johnson could become one of the cornerstones of the Arizona defense for years to come.
He’s already visualizing what that future could look like.
“I want to be someone this team can rely on every single down,” Johnson said. “Not just physically, but mentally—someone who makes plays, communicates well, sets a tone. If we want to compete at the highest level, we’ve got to build trust. I’m here to do that.”
As for the Michigan-Ohio State jokes? Johnson expects they’ll always be part of the locker room banter. But that’s part of the charm.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he said. “It keeps things real. And if the Buckeyes on this team ever forget, I’ve got some game film ready to go.”
He smiled again, that trademark confidence evident. Will Johnson might be wearing Cardinal red now, but he’ll always have some maize and blue in his heart. Still, in Arizona, he’s part of a new brotherhood—one where past rivalries become future victories.