TEMPE, Ariz. -- In the two weeks between getting drafted No. 47 by the Arizona Cardinals and reporting for rookie minicamp, cornerback Will Johnson sorted through the feelings that accompanied his unexpected slide from a projected first-day selection to a second-day pick.
The frustration and anger he experienced on draft day have been replaced by motivation, Johnson said.
"I think I've been able to move on," he said. "I'm just happy to be here, happy to get to work, and I know it's going to be something special here, so I'm excited for it."
With his first minicamp over, Johnson and the rest of the Cardinals' rookies were integrated with the veterans this week, getting their first true taste of what awaits them in the NFL. From what Johnson has seen thus far through getting a look at the playbook and virtual meetings with his position coach, Ryan Smith, he likes what he'll be doing on the field.
Johnson said it's a system that'll allow him to use his repertoire of skills while lining up in a variety of coverages. He believes he'll make the same kinds of plays in the NFL that he did in college.
"That scheme is amazing," Johnson said. "It's a cornerback's dream, so I'm excited to play in it. I'm excited to get comfortable with it and just learn more about it. I've learned a good amount so far, so just continuing to learn and get comfortable in it and make a lot of plays."
Johnson didn't want to reveal much of what Arizona does schematically but said the defense is a cornerback's dream because of "the way they play their guys."
"It works together well," he added.
Having played in NFL-style defenses at Michigan under defensive coordinators Jesse Minter and Wink Martindale, both of whom have coaching experience in the league, has made Johnson "a little more comfortable" during his transition. Those schemes have given him a baseline of knowing how to play in a true NFL defense, which, he said, will translate to playing freer.
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon, a former defensive back, called Johnson "really smart," saying the rookie understands the game, structures and the objectives. Gannon praised his "elite coverage instincts," adding that what stood out to Gannon during the scouting process was Johnson's ability to play the ball. At 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds, he is taller and longer than most cornerbacks, allowing him to do more in coverage.
"I like his ability that he can walk up and challenge people and then play off, as well, and see the quarterback," Gannon said.
However, Gannon also cautioned that Johnson will have a learning curve going from college to the NFL, regardless of the system he played in, his experience or size. Gannon explained one of the biggest differences is that when a corner gets beat in the NFL, the quarterbacks are all good enough to take advantage and find the open receiver. In college, Gannon said, they're all not.
"The quarterbacks here can stand in the pocket and deliver the ball accurately on time," Gannon said. "That's an adjustment for those guys. There's not a lot of time to make up ground throughout the down to win that down up here."
Then, there are the obvious adjustments that Johnson will have to make: learning a new scheme, a new system, new verbiage and new techniques.
The Cardinals don't employ a rigid scheme that doesn't allow freedom. It's the opposite, Gannon explained.
"We allow those guys to play with some different answers, so to speak," Gannon said. "It's not this is what I want to do and this is how you're going to do it. It's what fits best for you as it relates to the defense. You got to get this done within the scheme, but there's a couple different ways you can do that."
Johnson understands it'll take time, as well as reps on the field. That began this week during Phase 2 of the offseason program, which consists of individual and group drills. Coaches will start getting time with Johnson, molding him into the cornerback the Cardinals want.
Then, it's on to Phase 3 in a few weeks, when Johnson will get his first taste of the league's speed during offense vs. defense drills. That'll be when Johnson starts learning what it's like to be an NFL corner.
"It'll be an adjustment for them," Gannon said. "But lining up and covering a guy, they've been doing it for a while. That doesn't change as much, but what changes is they're going to look up and the ball's going to be on them."