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Will Johnson 'screams Pete Carroll defense' to Joel Klatt

IMG_0985by:Griffin McVeigh02/17/25

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NCAA Football: Fresno State at Michigan
Aug 31, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive back Will Johnson (2) runs the ball after he makes an interception in the second half against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Carroll is back in the NFL, hoping to build the Las Vegas Raiders back up. A huge asset for the immediate future will be this year’s first-round draft pick, currently slated for No. 6 overall. Plenty of discussion surrounds a quarterback but in a mock draft from FOX’s Joel Klatt, both were already gone.

Klatt sees a scenario where Carroll goes back to what he knew well with the Seattle Seahawks — building up the defense. Especially in the secondary after the famous Legion of Boom became the franchise’s staple. No better way than selecting someone who many believe is the best pure corner in the draft.

“If you see coaches that have success a certain way, they generally try to go back and follow that blueprint,” Klatt said. “So, what did Pete Carroll have success with? Defense, defense… There’s a guy that just screams Pete Carroll defense to me on the board right here and that’s Will Johnson, the corner from Michigan.”

At the beginning of the season, Johnson was thought of as a sure-fire top-five pick. Falling to No. 6 is not too far of a drop off but Johnson did suffer through injuries this season at Michigan. Teams might be hoping to receive more information at the upcoming NFL Combine.

Elite traits are certainly there, with Klatt highlighting some of them. He then threw out a comparison Carroll would be quite familiar with, likening Johnson to Seattle’s most vocal member in the secondary.

“Will Johnson has great length,” Klatt said. “He reminds me a lot of Richard Sherman. He’s great in zone, Pete liked to play zone, at least in his past with post-safety defense… Will Johnson is a shutdown corner, he’s got great ball skills, he’s great in zone, he can play man. He’s very smart, he’s physical, he likes to rally up and make tackles in the run game. He screams Pete Carroll to me. I think that fits a lot… If (Tom) Brady is involved at all, then he gets a Michigan man in his first draft.”

Johnson was able to win a national championship at Michigan and has been on draft boards for quite some time. Brady, a minority owner in the franchise, having some familiarity with the player would certainly add intrigue to the Raiders’ decision.

However, the main fit for Johnson and Las Vegas would be the opportunity to learn and play under Carroll.