Johnson’s Efforts to Rally Nolen to Michigan
In a thrilling turn of events, defensive lineman Walter Nolen and cornerback Will Johnson have found themselves as teammates for the very first time after being chosen by the Arizona Cardinals as their top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. While Nolen showcased his skills at Texas A&M and then Ole Miss, Johnson proudly donned the jersey for Michigan.
Interestingly, had circumstances unfolded a bit differently a few years back, these two standout athletes might have shared the field long before now.
During a media session on Thursday at the Cardinals’ training facility in Tempe, Johnson shared a heartfelt insight, revealing how hard he campaigned for Nolen to join him at Michigan.
“Back when we were in high school, we were both hoping to play together, but that didn’t pan out,” Johnson noted. “One of my teammates at Michigan was from Memphis, and everyone was buzzing about Walter, a big name at the time, so we tried to bring him into the fold.”
“I felt like I had some pull for our recruiting class, so I did everything I could to bring him to Michigan. I even visited Martin Luther King High School with him, hoping to help him adjust if he decided to come to Detroit. He checked out Michigan several times; we had a blast together.”
Alas, Nolen chose a different path. But fate has a funny way of weaving stories together: this time around, there was no lengthy recruiting process—thanks to the Cardinals, both players are embarking on their professional journey as teammates.
Now, they face the exciting challenge of translating their collegiate success into prowess on the NFL stage.
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