The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson with the No. 83 pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns in 12 games during his junior season at Iowa, adding 188 receiving yards and two more touchdowns on the way to a consensus All-American selection. Also a first-team All-Big Ten selection and the Big Ten Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year in 2024, Johnson led the conference in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and rushing yards per game (128.1). His rushing yardage (seventh), rushing touchdowns (tied for fifth), yards per carry (ninth) and rushing yards per game (sixth) all ranked in the top 10 among FBS running backs.
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Johnson reached the end zone at least once in every game last season and had seven multi-touchdown games. He rushed for 100-plus yards in eight contests, including a career-best 206-yard performance in a win over Minnesota in September, when he also rushed for three touchdowns.
In 35 career games over his three collegiate seasons with the Hawkeyes, Johnson collected 2,779 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns.
‘The Beast’ breakdown
Johnson ranked No. 44 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“He is at his best when he can quickly read and set up his blocks and anticipate backside/frontside lanes to find yardage that isn’t there (No. 2 in the FBS with 21 carries of 20 yards or more in 2024). He tends to run upright, giving defenders a large target, but has the build and determination to be a bruiser as a forward-leaning, north-south runner. Overall, Johnson isn’t a dynamic make-you-miss athlete, but he is a patient and powerful one-cut runner with the instinctive vision to crease the defense using run angles and foot quickness. His play style is reminiscent of DeMarco Murray with a three-down skill set to thrive in a zone-based NFL scheme.”
Coaching intel
What an anonymous running backs coach had to say about Johnson in Bruce Feldman’s NFL Draft confidential:
“He’s smooth. Really good zone runner. Runs with good pad level. Has good hands. Not the shiftiest guy or a blazer but it’s not like he ran a 4.8. He’s a 4.5 guy, and I think he’s a true tough guy. I like his disposition.”
Nobody’s catching Kaleb Johnson in the open field 💨
We’re flashing back to some of his long TDs from his three seasons with @HawkeyeFootball 👀#FlashbackFriday x #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/gPB22oUBLY
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) March 28, 2025
Come back later for more analysis of Johnson.
(Photo: Matthew Holst / Getty Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
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