Behind the Steel Curtain
In a deep running back class, Johnson is the best fit for Arthur Smith’s wide zone scheme.
Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.
When the Steelers declined Najee Harris’ fifth-year option last summer, the writing was on the wall that changes could be coming to the running back room in 2025. That’s doubly true after Jaylen Warren struggled to stay healthy last season and is himself a restricted free agent.
If the Steelers are looking to replenish the running back position in the draft, there might not be a better stylistic fit for what they hope to accomplish than Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson.
Johnson was one of college football’s breakout players in 2024. After leading the FBS in rushing over the first month and some change of the season, Johnson finished the season seventh in rushing (1,537) and tied for sixth in rushing touchdowns (21). Among the 33 running backs to eclipse 200 carries, Johnson finished fourth in yards-per-carry (6.4), trailing only Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty (7.0), Central Florida’s R.J. Harvey (6.8) and Kansas State’s DJ Giddens (6.6). At season’s end, Johnson was named an All-American.
An Ohio native who grew up in a suburb of Cincinnati, Johnson’s college decision came down to Cal and Iowa. He was the 15th-ranked prospect out of Ohio, Johnson was only ranked 35th among running back recruits nationally. After a turbulent few years in high school that saw the passing of his grandmother, Johnson wanted to star in football to honor her memory and the support she always gave him.
A three-year starter at Iowa, Johnson set the Iowa freshman rushing record (779) in 2022. However, more adversity found him during his sophomore year when an ankle injury caused him to miss four games and he never regained his form after returning.
Johnson credits a changed mindset for his breakout junior season. He says he ran too timid during his first two seasons in Iowa City.
Johnson isn’t going to be mistaken for Marshawn Lynch anytime soon, but his frame suggests there is more power he can tap into. Johnson is listed as 6’0 and 225 pounds at Iowa, but he claims he’s closer to 6’2. While he doesn’t possess elite speed, Iowa says GPS data had him clocked at 22 miles per hour during a run this season. It may take him a bit of build-up to reach that speed, but that will play at the next level. Scouts are predicting Johnson will run the 40-yard dash in the 4.5s. If...
