ANN ARBOR >> Former Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, still recovering from a hamstring injury, attended Michigan’s Pro Day on Friday but did not participate. He will hold a private workout for NFL teams next month.

Johnson played in six games last season but missed the final half while dealing with a turf toe injury suffered at Illinois. He had three pick-sixes during his career, a program record, and was a 2023 All-American. He is projected a first-round selection in next month’s NFL Draft.

“Trying to get back to 100%,” Johnson told reporters on Friday.

He will go through drills and run the 40 — he hopes to post a 4.4 — on April 14 at Michigan. Johnson said he recovered from the turf toe injury in early January and then too quickly jumped into running, which caused the hamstring issue.

“When you’re doing the training we’re doing, it’s pretty intense,” Johnson said. “So I’m just trying to run as fast as I can and the hammy’s not ready for that yet.”

Johnson was frustrated with his inability to play much of last season and also his limitations during the postseason but said that shouldn’t be an issue with his draft stock.

“I know what I can do on the field,” Johnson said. “I got a lot of film out there. I know I’ll go to the team that’s supposed to pick me, so I’m not too worried about it.”

Johnson also has never worried about any of the commentary from fans questioning him for not getting back on the field last season. He said he’d see some of the posts but never paid attention to the criticism.

”No reaction to that,” Johnson said. “Everyone in this building, the coaches, players, they all know what I was dealing with. Fans are gonna be fans and they want to see me play. I want to play to just as much as they want me to play. I have goals just like they have for me.”

Loveland pushed through

Tight end Colston Loveland dealt with a shoulder injury suffered early last season against Arkansas State. He underwent surgery on Jan. 29 to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder and continues to recover.

Loveland played through the injury last fall.

“I just want to play ball, so there was never a thought about not playing,” Loveland said Friday. “I feel like I had a lot on my plate, but I’d want it no other way. That’s why I was dying to get back out there all the time. I needed to go out there and help the team win.”

He missed the regular-season finale against Ohio State, not because of the shoulder but because he suffered a concussion the week before against Northwestern.

“I would have played if it was just a shoulder,” he said.

Stewart drawing local interest?

Edge Josaiah Stewart said he has met with the Lions and was asked what stood out about their conversations.

“Just their defense,” Stewart said. “They run a pretty good defense similar to ours. They have a SAM position as well. I think I’d play really well in that defense.”

Adding weight

Defensive tackle Mason Graham is projected a high first-round pick but some analysts seemed to have an issue after he weighed in at just under 300 pounds at the NFL Combine last month.

Graham played at Michigan at 310-312 pounds and said when he arrived at the combine he was around 303-304. The stress of the week caused several players to weigh in lighter, he said. During Friday’s Pro Day, he was 306.

“I feel like teams aren’t concerned about it. My weight fluctuates,” Graham said. “Wherever I feel comfortable is where I feel comfortable. As I get closer, I’ll be back to 310.”

Grant goes through Pro Day

Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant was unable to do the drills at the combine after he was found to have a hamstring issue. That healed about three or four days later, he said.

He ran a 5.07 40 at Pro Day, benched 27 times and had a 31-inch vertical.

“It went better than I expected,” Grant said. “I felt really good, so I decided to do everything. Body was feeling good, hammy was feeling good. Just taking care of my body and trying to compete.”

Grant famously ran down Penn State running back Kaytron Allen during the 2023 season and made a touchdown-saving tackle.

“It comes up pretty often,” Grant said, referring to the NFL interview process. “Scouts like that I’m fast and hawking down running backs.”

They said it

Stewart on what he’s seen from Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood: “(They’re) in good hands. He looks the part. A lot of guys say, yeah, he’s 6-5, but he’s actually 6-5. Has a great zip on the ball and he’s young and athletic.”

Johnson is from Detroit and attended Grosse Pointe South, but did he grow up a Lions fan? “They weren’t too good growing up, so it was hard to be a fan. But I actually loved Calvin Johnson when I was younger.”