Pittsburgh drafting a running back was obvious enough. There was a need, and the team did homework on all the top prospects, including bringing nine in for a visit. The more interesting question was if the Steelers would stick with their “big back” approach or depart and add someone smaller and faster in an effort to create bigger plays out of the ground game. In drafting Kaleb Johnson, the answer turned out to be yes. And yes.
In picking Johnson, the Steeles kept their theme of selecting backs who tipped the scales at 220-plus pounds. But they didn’t get a plodder, either. Johnson is a smooth runner who runs with more finesse and burst than expected, a nod to the team’s desire to get something different from their running backs.
The Steelers’ Top 100 picks on running backs have all had a clear trend. Big and burly. Since 2007, Rashard Mendenhall, Le’Veon Bell, James Conner, Najee Harris, and now Johnson. There’s no “little guy” there, except for Dri Archer, whom the Steelers didn’t know what to do with and quickly realized their mistake. Pittsburgh wanted runners who could shoulder the load and be “the guy” throughout the season.
In 2025, that’s less of a need. Pittsburgh now uses a committee approach instead of counting on a singular workhorse back. Still, Johnson has the frame and background to step into that role if need be. In his final year at Iowa, Johnson carried the ball 20-plus times in six games, including a 35-carry performance to beat Maryland, and got better as the game wore on.
Old habits die hard, and Kaleb Johnson checks the size box.
But Pittsburgh isn’t relying entirely on its old model. At the least, Johnson isn’t identical to Najee Harris. Johnson shows more burst, pop, and long speed, which is a threat in the open field when given a runway. In our early offseason guide examining explosive run rates, Johnson shone on big plays.
Of the top 28 draft-eligible backs, Johnson tied for third on gains of 20-plus yards. His 6.3-percent rate matched Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, a true home run hitter, and only trailed UCF’s RJ Harvey (off the board by the time Pittsburgh picked) and SMU’s Brashard Smith, who didn’t hear his name called until the seventh round.
Is Kaleb Johnson the most dynamic runner in the class? No. Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson was available and passed by, a true open field threat. But Johnson was the best runner on the board. Teams can’t lose sight of that; focusing so much on a specific trait causes them to lose the broader picture of overall talent. Johnson was the best overall talent available for Pittsburgh to take, and they didn’t pass on the chance.
