The Pittsburgh Steelers stayed put at No. 83 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson. General manager Omar Khan said the Steelers fielded some calls about trading up or down in the third round but that they felt comfortable they would be able to land Johnson with their original selection.
“We fielded some calls, just like we do every round, but it just felt like it was coming to us the right way, and there hadn’t been that run on the running backs yet and it was a deep position, and we were excited we were able to get him,” Khan said in a press conference after the draft via the team’s YouTube channel.
Johnson was projected by a lot of analysts to go higher than No. 83, but there also wasn’t a run on Day 2 running backs like many expected. It did happen early on Day 3, but the Steelers had already drafted Johnson, who fills a position of need and fits Pittsburgh’s offensive scheme under Arthur Smith.
Pittsburgh made just one trade in the draft, moving down in the fifth round from No. 156 overall to No. 164 overall and picking up a selection in the seventh round at No. 226 overall. With limited draft capital on Day 2, it would’ve been difficult for the Steelers to trade up in any significant way, especially without including future picks. So it likely wasn’t much of a consideration for the Steelers, although they’ll obviously listen to offers. A trade down would’ve been more likely, but with Johnson on the board, the Steelers wound up sticking and picking.
Johnson, who measured in at 6010 and 224 pounds at the NFL Combine, offers the Steelers a bigger back to pair with Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. However, Mike Tomlin said size wasn’t as much of a factor when selecting Johnson.
“Less concerned about the measurables and really more concerned about the play style and the resume, and certainly he’s a guy that’s capable of a high volume of carries,” Tomlin said.
Johnson will play a key role for the Steelers as a rookie, even with Warren and Gainwell in the backfield. The Steelers hope that he makes their decision to stick with their pick and select him look like a good one.
