Will Johnson 40 time: Why Michigan CB didn't run at pre-draft workout
Will Johnson went through an individual workout Monday, just 10 days ahead of the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Johnson was expected to do most of the drills and athletic tests that NFL teams like to put prospects through before the draft. However, the Michigan product skipped one notable and important test.
Johnson did not run the 40-yard dash at his individual pro day, per The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
Will Johnson 40 time: Why Michigan CB didn't run
Johnson's 40-yard dash time was expected to be a critical part of his pre-draft process. The star cornerback was unquestionably one of the best at his position during his college career. Still, concerns existed about whether he would have the speed to consistently thrive against NFL-level athletes.
Johnson's decision not to run the 40-yard dash comes after he played just six games during his final season with the Wolverines because of a turf toe injury. He also missed Michigan's initial pro day while nursing a minor hamstring malady.
It isn't clear whether those injuries impacted Johnson's decision not to run the 40-yard dash or if he was simply concerned about the impact of logging a slow time. The Ringer's Todd McShay reported Johnson was "running in the high-4.5s in training" for his workout. If true, that would put Johnson in danger of having speed that is considered well below average at cornerback.
Below is a look at the Relative Athletic Score (RAS) – a metric that compares prospect measurables to other players at his position on a scale of 0 to 10 – of a 40 time in the "high-4.5s" would look.
- 4.55 seconds: 5.39 RAS
- 4.56 seconds: 5.17 RAS
- 4.57 seconds: 4.89 RAS
- 4.58 seconds: 4.54 RAS
- 4.59 seconds: 4.19 RAS
For another comparison, 24 cornerbacks ran the 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL combine. Only three – LSU's Zy Alexander, Villanova's Isas Waxter and Kansas' Mello Dotson – ran 40 times of 4.56 seconds or slower.
So, instead of risking a bottom-tier 40 time, Johnson is eschewing the drill altogether. He is hoping his performance in the other drills – described as "very smooth" by scouts on hand, per Brugler – along with his solid tape at Michigan, which included nine interceptions across 32 games, will help him maintain his status as a top-two cornerback in the 2025 NFL draft alongside Travis Hunter.
Time will tell whether Johnson's gambit will pay off or if NFL teams will be scared off by the unknown.