During the pre-draft process, the Pittsburgh Steelers made it clear that they have a lot of interest in this running back class. That makes sense, with it being one of their biggest needs. While Mike Tomlin made it clear he’s comfortable with Jaylen Warren as the lead back, that doesn’t mean the Steelers won’t draft a player to add to their backfield. Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson came to Pittsburgh for a top 30 visit, and Bryant McFadden thinks he would be a good fit with the Steelers.
“The thing I love about this potential relationship with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kaleb [Johnson] is that he could co-exist rather nicely with a guy like Jaylen Warren or Kenneth Gainwell,” McFadden said Tuesday on CBS Sports HQ. “A bigger back, but he exercises patience when he runs the football.
“He has a little bit of a Le’Veon Bell style of play because he’s so patient. He allows the blockers to set up their blocking and the running lanes to open. Then, instantly, he utilizes his burst to create positive runs.”
Johnson has a similar profile to Bell. Both stand at around 6’1” and weighed in around 225 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. Also, Johnson recorded a 4.57 40-yard dash, while Bell ran a 4.60. On the surface, the comparison could be easy to make.
Bell shed some of that weight in the NFL, but his patience always defined his game. Bell’s running style was rare. Often, it almost looked like he stopped behind the line of scrimmage. However, he was just waiting for a hole to open up before jetting off through it.
Johnson is similar. He’s got great burst, vision, and patience. While he might not be as shifty as Bell was, perhaps that could change if he loses a little weight at the NFL level, like Bell did. However, Johnson uses his weight well, inflicting punishment on defenders. Bell had a mean stiff arm, but Johnson might seek physicality out more than him.
Johnson and Bell aren’t the exact same player, but McFadden’s comparison isn’t totally off base. Many Steelers fans might have bad memories associated with Bell due to how his time in Pittsburgh ended. It was an ugly split. However, if Johnson brings Bell’s style of play and not his personal issues, the Steelers would likely be getting a good player.
Unfortunately, the Steelers might not get the chance to draft Johnson. Right now, it looks like he’ll go on Day 2 of the draft. The Steelers currently only have their third-round pick. It seems unlikely that Johnson would fall that far. It’s not impossible, but it does seem improbable. If he does last that long, though, he should be a player they seriously consider drafting.
