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0:422025 NFL Draft Grades: Steelers Select Kaleb Johnson No. 83
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2:22RB Breakdown: Kaleb Johnson
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2:59Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson having a fantastic season | Cover 3
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1:25Can Mark Gronowski bring his FCS level success to Iowa? | 247Sports Ultimate College Football Show
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0:37Iowa remains a top five program in the Big Ten
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2:44Is Mark Gronowski the best Iowa QB since Nate Stanley? | Cover 3
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0:27Iose Epenesa making impression at Navy All-American Bowl | 247Sports College Football Show
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3:17Iowa vs. Northwestern Postgame: Iowa QB Brendan Sullivan
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2:56Iowa vs. Northwestern Postgame: Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson
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2:25Iowa vs. Northwestern Postgame: Iowa LB's Nick Jackson and Jay Higgins
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3:11Iowa vs. Northwestern Postgame: Iowa OL Mason Richman
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1:00Iowa Hawkeyes drive to 325 points following victory over Washington | Cover 3
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1:13Washington vs Iowa betting lines
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1:47Best bets for Washington vs. Iowa | Cover 3
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1:50Iowa's drive to 325 following loss to Ohio State | Cover 3
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1:16Ohio State shuts down Iowa, 35-7
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1:40Inside College Football: It Starts and Stops With Iowa's Defense
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1:59Inside College Football: Will Iowa Show #3 Ohio State Who They Are?
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3:36Best bets for Iowa vs. Ohio State | Cover 3
Draft Scouting Report
Rating: 79.73 (Reserve/backup)
Pro Comparison: Jaylen Wright
Summary
Kaleb Johnson is a big, North-South runner with plus speed once he reaches the second and third levels. He has more build-up speed than true burst but isn’t sluggish at the hand-off. Occasionally flashes a skip move in the hole, but lateral agility isn’t a big part of his game. Instead, he relies on patience, letting his blockers create lanes before hitting the accelerator.
His vision is outstanding -- he slithers through tight creases on zone plays as if the game is unfolding in slow motion. He’s best in a zone-blocking scheme, preferring to stay frontside and follow his blocks with a great feel for when to cut back. However, he has a tendency to bounce poorly blocked runs outside, which might work against slower defenses but will be far less effective in the NFL.
Johnson has old-school power back traits, running behind his pads and being a tough tackle, though his contact balance isn’t elite. He wasn’t heavily used in the passing game in college, which limits his three-down upside. Overall, he has a feature-back build, plus speed and veteran-like vision and patience. While he lacks elusiveness and high-end contact balance, his mental strengths help compensate. Best in a zone-blocking scheme where his vision and smooth cutting ability can shine.
About
- 2024: Second-team All-American (AP)
- 2024: Set single-season records in points (138), total touchdowns (23) and rushing scores (21)
Strengths
- NFL-caliber size
- Deceptive speed for a power RB
- Awesome vision for zone-blocking scheme
Weaknesses
- Very minimal lateral cutting skill
- Can occasionally bounce runs too far outside
- Not much receiving experience
Combine Data
- 40-yard dash: 4.57 seconds
2024 Rushing
| STATS | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 240 | 1537 | 6.4 | 21 | 75 |
Top Kaleb Johnson News
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Steelers' Kaleb Johnson: Steelers add big Round 3 runner
The Steelers selected Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 83rd overall.
Johnson (6-foot-1, 224 pounds) is a bigger back who clearly fills the void left by Najee Harris, who signed with the Chargers in free agency. Johnson really broke out in 2024, his third season at Iowa, after showing some flickers of promise in his first two seasons. Johnson's box score went nuts in 2024, producing 1,537 yards (6.4 YPC) and 21 touchdowns in 12 games, and now he'll compete for snaps against Jaylen Warren. Warren doesn't necessarily need the help -- Warren took workhorse workloads at Utah State and Oklahoma State in college -- but the Steelers will probably give Johnson every chance to at least work into a timeshare with Warren in 2025.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-1, 224 lbs |
| Birthplace: Hamilton, OH |
| Age: 21 |
| Class: Junior |