Steelers Rookie Could Have Major Role This Season

With the potential to become the Pittsburgh Steelers' running back of the future, rookie Kaleb Johnson should step into a major role during his rookie season.

A consensus All-American for the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2024 after rushing for a Big Ten-leading 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, Johnson declared for the 2025 NFL Draft and later headed to the Scouting Combine. There, the 21-year-old ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash and 1.62-second 10-yard split.

Johnson was among a whopping nine running backs that the Steelers hosted for top-30 visits during the pre-draft process, and he's go on to be selected by the organization in the third round with the No. 83 overall pick.

With Najee Harris now a member of the Los Angeles Chargers, Johnson figures to split work with Jaylen Warren as Pittsburgh's new tandem in the backfield. The team also brought in Kenneth Gainwell on a one-year deal, though it's unlikely that he'll see a ton of work on the ground.

In college, Johnson was a prototypical workhorse back in an offense that's entirely predicated upon the strength of its run game. He finished 2024 with 240 carries, the 11th-most in the country, and his size (6-foot-1, 224 pounds) is conducive to a player who may eventually shoulder the load for the Steelers.

As for his skill set, Johnson is a physical and patient runner with good vision who will receive plenty of opportunities in short-yardage and goal line situations, especially over someone like Warren, who is a smaller, shiftier back.

Furthermore, Johnson is an ideal fit within a wide-zone scheme like the one offensive coordinator Arthur Smith utilizes, and he gained plenty of experience within a similar system while at Iowa.

Warren and Gainwell figure to see a majority of the third-down reps, at least early on in the year, but Johnson's innate ability to fight through contact and pick up yards after contact due to his size and strength are valuable traits that aren't otherwise present on Pittsburgh's roster.

The Steelers believe Johnson is a key piece of their future, hence their Day 2 investment in him, and he should contribute right off the bat.