The Steelers have a number of holes on their roster, and the lack of a long-term option opposite Joey Porter Jr. at cornerback is definitely one. Over the last three years, the team has put band-aids over bullet holes when matching Porter with a running mate at cornerback. From Patrick Peterson to Donte Jackson and now Darius Slay, it seems the formula for the team over the years has been to pair Porter with an aging veteran. Eventually, the team will need to add a bit more of a youth movement to the position.
James Foster of The 33rd Team did just that in his most recent NFL mock draft. He has the Steelers getting a steal, selecting Michigan’s Will Johnson at 21. Johnson, lauded by many to be the second-best corner in the class and a potential top-five pick before the season, could possibly even surpass Porter as the team’s CB1. As previously mentioned, the Steelers did address the cornerback position in free agency with Slay, but also picked up Brandin Echols as well. Still, Foster doesn’t see either as a long-term solution.
“The Steelers signed Darius Slay and Brandin Echols, but Slay is a short-term solution and Echols is more of a flyer, so they’d still benefit from adding a corner in the draft,” wrote Foster. “Johnson will likely play outside in the NFL, but he could start out at nickel while Slay is still on the roster.”
Adding Johnson to the mix in the nickel would immediately give the Steelers a big playmaker in their secondary. During the 2023 season, Johnson’s tape was as good as anyone’s in the country, flashing his gambler’s mentality. He had four interceptions in the Wolverines National Championship year, returning one for a touchdown. While he wasn’t able to play the full season this year, he was still effective, snagging two pick-sixes as well.
Johnson fits the Steelers type at cornerback as well. The team prefers taller, longer corners on the team like Porter and Cory Trice Jr. While Johnson’s arm length has come into question recently, he certainly meets the height requirement at 6’2.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the mock draft is that part of Johnson’s slide was due to another player overtaking him as the second corner off the board after Travis Hunter. Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas went just before Johnson to the Buccaneers at 19th overall. This would be a huge jump for Thomas, who many, including myself, were mocking to the Steelers in the second round before trading their pick.
Still, I’m sure the Steelers wouldn’t be upset with a trio of Slay, Porter and Will Johnson going into the 2025 season.
