Losing Najee Harris in free agency was a big blow for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that blow was lessened Friday night as the Steelers landed Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson — the No. 3 running back in the class on Dane Brugler’s big board — at No. 83 overall in the third round. It gives offensive coordinator Arthur Smith a great fit in his zone rushing attack.
Though Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and Alabama QB Jalen Milroe were available at the time of the Steelers’ pick, leading many to believe they’d address the QB position with some great value, the Steelers stuck to their identity and grabbed Johnson. The pick led to some significant praise on The Athletic Football Show from analysts Robert Mays, Dane Brugler and Derrik Klassen.
Klassen, on the livestream reacting to every pick, stated that the addition of Johnson brings a “home run element” to the Steelers’ offense that they’ve been missing in recent years.
“He’s a very specific, just be an outside zone [guy], go hit it and go. But I do think he’s really good at that. Like, he’s a bigger guy but his home run speed is actually pretty good. It’s not quite the Derrick Henry thing, but it’s like…it’s deceiving. That’s the perfect word for it,” Klassen said of Johnson and the fit in Pittsburgh, according to video via the show’s YouTube page.
“And so, for a team that, Najee Harris was more of the just get your four yards and that’s it. Johnson actually brings an element of home round that I think they need.”
Johnson flourished in a zone scheme at Iowa. He’s another big, physical running back who fits well into the Steelers’ zone rushing attack under Smith. Johnson was outstanding in 2024, rushing for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns on 240 carries. He also caught 22 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, showing he can do it all.
He turns 22 in August and has only had one year of a heavy workload, coming in 2024, so there is some concern there. But outside of that, he fits the mold for the Steelers and feels like a perfect fit, which Smith called him following the selection during a session with the media.
At the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Johnson measured in at 6010, 224 pounds and ran a 4.57 40-yard dash, solid numbers for his height and weight.
Historically, the Steelers have been like big, bruising running backs who can handle a heavy workload. Johnson fits that mold, as he’s in the 87th percentile for height, 79th percentile for weight, and in the 96th percentile for arm length at the position.
What made Johnson so impressive at Iowa in 2024 was his production in the fourth quarter. According to Brugler’s “The Beast” draft guide, Johnson averaged 8.3 yards per carry, taking over late in games. That fits perfectly with the Steelers, who want to be a powerful, punishing, run-first team.
“The Steelers were my favorite fit for Kaleb Johnson because of the amount of zone that they run. I just was worried that they didn’t have a second-round pick, would he last this long? And so, the fit to me is perfect,” Mays said of Johnson to the Steelers. “I always imagined him within this offense because I think his skillset perfectly fits what they want to be.”
The fit for Johnson is like a glove for the Steelers. The fact he gets to stay in the Black and Gold is the cherry on top, too.
