Steelers' Kaleb Johnson gets lofty projection from NFL analyst

14 hours ago 2

This offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers watched their starting running back for the past five seasons, Najee Harris, leave for a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.

While they signed former Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell to help the room, they went into the 2025 NFL draft knowing they needed a true lead back. That's why they used their third-round pick (No. 83 overall) on Iowa's Kaleb Johnson.

Johnson, 21, was a three-star recruit out of Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio. He originally committed to the University of California but decided to flip to Iowa before the start of the 2022 collegiate season.

Over his three seasons with the Hawkeyes, Johnson rushed for 2,779 yards and 30 touchdowns on 5.5 yards per attempt while bringing in 29 passes for 240 yards and two more scores. He was also named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year and earned First-team All-Big Ten and Consensus All-American honors in 2024.

While Johnson was Pittsburgh's second selection in the draft (after they took Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon in the first round), the running back is being hit with some lofty expectations. NFL analyst Bucky Brooks even has him picking right up where Harris left off.

"The seamless transition from Iowa’s zone-based system to Pittsburgh's downhill rushing attack could help Johnson hit the ground running in the pros," Brooks wrote. "As a big back (6-foot-1, 224 pounds) with straight-line speed and a smooth running style, he patiently surveys the defense from behind the line until he spots a crack at the point of attack. With the Steelers’ fielding a massive offensive line specializing in bulldozing defenders off the ball, Johnson could immediately post a 1,000-yard season as the team’s new RB1."

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Harris rushed for over 1,000 yards in all four seasons with the Steelers, and Johnson is now expected to continue that streak in 2025.

That may not seem like that difficult of a task, but in NFL history, only 76 players have rushed for over 1,000 yards in their first season. Seven running backs have accomplished the feat in the last five years (Harris, James Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Allgeier, Kenneth Walker III, Travis Etienne and Bucky Irving).

Johnson certainly has the talent to add his name to the list, but he'll have to adjust quickly to the professional game and remain healthy while given a steady workload. It's possible, but a lot of things will need to break right for him in 2025.