Steelers Now
Steelers Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis thinks one of Pittsburgh’s rookies will be special at the next level.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had what they believe to be yet another successful draft. Only time will tell if that is true, but Steelers Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis believes big things are in store for at least one of their rookies.
Bettis thinks Pittsburgh’s third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, running back Kaleb Johnson, could make a name for himself sooner rather than later.
“I think Jaylen Warren is a really good running back,” Bettis said on ‘The Jim Rome Show.” “He’ll get more opportunities, more carries. He’ll show what he’s capable of. But Kaleb Johnson, a young running back they drafted out of Iowa, I really believe he’s got the chance to be special.”
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Johnson, 21, is coming off a breakout season. In 2024, he rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry at Iowa. He also recorded 22 catches for 188 yards and two more scores.
He is a bigger back, standing at 6-foot-1, 224 pounds. So he should complement 5-foot-8, 215-pound Warren, who has primarily played as a third-down back to start his NFL career.
However, Johnson has proven to be more than capable of breaking off big runs. Last season, he reached 22 miles per hour per GPS measurements on field, which has only been done by a handful of NFL players, including new Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf.
The only question now is if Johnson can translate his play to the next level. But if he can, like Bettis believes, Pittsburgh may just field one of the best running back duos in the NFL this season.
“I think they’ve got two running backs that actually can complement each other, that’ll create an opportunity,” Bettis said. “In Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson, they have a tandem that has the skill sets the Steelers want.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Hall of Famer Believes Steelers Rookie Has ‘Chance to Be Special’
