Johnson was born to be a cornerback. He’s played it his whole life, the only position he ever thought to play after watching video of his father Deon, himself a Wolverine cornerback in the early 90s with time spent in the NFL and CFL.

Even before Thomas went down, Johnson was getting some work with the first unit as the Cardinals try to sort out their room.

“I’ve got a year in the system so I’m more comfortable in it, but this defense, it’s not easy,” Melton said. “The scheme with the corners, it’s not easy. I’m trying to be there for Will. He’s smart. He’s got it. He got it quicker than me, to be honest. He’s going to be fine. It’s a lot but he’s adapting well to it.”

Coach Jonathan Gannon isn’t making promises – “It’s ‘how much better can you get?” – but Johnson’s natural ability has shown (and he’s already had multiple battles with college nemesis and Ohio State product Marvin Harrison Jr. No trash talk though. Neither of them partake.)

The importance to Johnson of winning playing time quickly is apparent. A successful first season includes making the postseason and then a deep run as the first order of business but also includes Johnson winning Defensive Rookie of the Year.

That would have been the hope anyway, but after he went from an expected first-round pick to mid-second round, motivation burns.

Johnson was clearly upset when it first happened, tied to concerns about the health of his knee. Gannon said soon after he wanted Johnson to make sure it didn’t cloud his journey. Johnson says now it won’t – but it isn’t gone either.

In his youtube vlog, Johnson has a shot of a big photo he has in his garage that he looks at every time he gets in his car – a shot of his disappointed self in the player green room at the draft in Green Bay.

“I’m the type of person, it’s not going to stick with me in a negative way, but it’s going to stick with me in a positive way,” Johnson said. “I think (Gannon) knows that. He knows I’m looking to be my best self.”

That self includes years in a successful college program, which Johnson believes can only help in the pros.

“I kind of know what that great culture looks like, of being one and being aligned, what you need to win,” Johnson said. “Having that experience definitely will help me connect with the guys.”

Whether that culture eventually adds turnover buffs is TBD.