The Steelers selected Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson in Round 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Johnson led Iowa in rushing as a true freshman in 2022, showing his grinding skills between the tackles. He ran 151 times for 779 yards and six TDs. After an ankle injury slowed him down in 2023, he enjoyed an exceptional year in 2024 on a struggling Iowa offense. His great vision and contact balance led to 240 rushes for 1,537 yards and 21 TDs on the ground. Johnson is the typical Hawkeye RB, consistently churning his feet to pick up additional yardage. He also leads the class in rush yards over expected per attempt for his career, picking up an additional yard per rush over expected. Johnson could eventually become a three-down NFL back if he can develop as a pass catcher. He’s simply not a burner, and that predictably showed up at the NFL Combine with his 4.57 forty time.
On a day where so many RBs exceeded expectations, former Iowa Hawkeye RB Kaleb Johnson just did as expected. He ran a 4.57 40-yard dash at 224 pounds. He also tied for the worst 10-yard split of the day for a RB at 1.62. Despite the average 40-yard dash, Johnson is still expected to be a top-100 NFL Draft selection.
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