The Pittsburgh Steelers made a splash on the offensive side of the ball Friday night. With the 83rd overall pick in the draft, Pittsburgh selected Kaleb Johnson, a running back out of Iowa.
As draft picks typically do, Johnson spoke to the media after being selected. According to a team-provided transcript, Johnson spoke about wanting to help his team win as he enters the NFL.
“Always finishing my runs and always wanting to get the first down and do extra for my team to help my team win,” Johnson said. “I just always want to go the extra mile and help my team and come out on top. That’s my main thing.”
Kaleb Johnson did a lot of that in college, but he didn’t have the easiest situation at Iowa. While he was the star on that offense, there wasn’t a ton of talent outside of him. As a result, he faced a lot of stacked boxes. Yet, he put together an impressive 2024 season anyway. He led the Big Ten with a whopping 1,537 rushing yards and found the end zone 23 times.
At the start of his career in Pittsburgh, Johnson may see similarly stacked boxes. Arthur Smith typically operates a run-first offense, and the Steelers don’t have much of a solution at quarterback right now. They haven’t addressed the position with their first two selections. Fortunately for Johnson, he was able to find a way to succeed despite a similar situation at Iowa.
Aside from the QB spot, though, Johnson is joining a talented offense. He’ll be running behind an offensive line that’s young with a lot of promise. With George Pickens and DK Metcalf being viable deep threats on the outside, defenses will often have to line up with two deep safeties, which should give Johnson some room to run.
He fits seamlessly in the Steelers offense. Pittsburgh lost Najee Harris, but they’re getting a player with Kaleb Johnson. He’s a big, physical runner, who thrives in short-yardage situations. Many grew tired with Harris’ playstyle, but Johnson brings more explosiveness. His specific skill set is a good compliment to Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.
Johnson seems to think so, too.
“Me and Jaylen Warren, we are going to be very good together,” Johnson said. “You know, I can’t wait to work. And I’m just ready to work. I’m excited right now.”
All things considered, this is a good pick for Pittsburgh. The Steelers got a running back who was extremely productive in 2024 and most expected to be taken in the second round. With their first two picks, they’ve filled big needs on the roster. It’s hard to complain with the work Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan have done so far.
