In an offense that desires to be run-heavy and out-muscle defenses, the Pittsburgh Steelers have fairly just a few touches to interchange.
That may be 263 carries to interchange, to be actual, after dropping Najee Harris in free company to the Los Angeles Chargers.
That’s the place rookie working again Kaleb Johnson, who was chosen within the third spherical of the 2025 NFL Draft at No. 83 total out of Iowa, comes into the combination for the Black and Gold.
He’s a fantastic scheme match for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith because of the zone dashing assault Smith needs to deploy, and with the likes of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell within the backfield as change-of-pace backs, there needs to be loads of alternatives for Johnson.
The truth is, longtime NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay believes he’ll be some of the impactful rookies within the 2025 season, rating him because the third-best working again within the class based mostly on workforce match and alternative, behind solely Las Vegas’ Ashton Jeanty and Denver’s RJ Harvey.
“I do know the mix testing numbers weren’t nice and he didn’t have nice receiving numbers in school. However I’m betting on the tape and the match with Johnson,” McShay stated of Johnson when discussing one of the best rookie RBs getting into the 2025 season. “I really like his imaginative and prescient, his ft, his endurance. There’s no wasted movement and every part is clean. I had in contrast him to Najee Harris throughout the draft course of and I feel he has the potential to be as productive in Pittsburgh, if no more, whereas representing a lot better draft worth.
“He’ll be in a rotation with Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, however I anticipate Johnson to get numerous touches in that offense.”
Whereas Warren and Gainwell venture as good change-of-pace working backs that would produce effectively in Pittsburgh, the Steelers want a bell-cow working again. Johnson suits the large, robust mildew that the Steelers sometimes like on the working again place.
On the 2025 NFL Scouting Mix, Johnson measured in at 6010, 224 kilos and ran a 4.57 40-yard sprint, stable numbers for his peak and weight. He additionally turns simply 22 in August and has solely had one yr of a heavy workload, so there’s some concern there.
However exterior of that with the Iowa product, he suits the mildew for the Steelers and appears like an ideal match, which offensive coordinator Arthur Smith referred to as him throughout a session with the media following his choice within the third spherical.
With a necessity for a working again to step up because the true No. 1 in Pittsburgh, Johnson has the chance proper in entrance of him to grab the function and run with it.
He’s a fantastic match for the scheme, is the large physique the Steelers are inclined to gravitate towards, and he has good velocity and an explosive, dwelling run ingredient to his sport.
New teammates are excited to see how he performs, too, together with third-year exterior linebacker Nick Herbig, who battled in opposition to Johnson throughout an Iowa-Nebraska sport in 2022, and has watched him in recent times in Huge Ten play.
If he’s capable of hit the bottom working and seize upon the RB1 function, the manufacturing ought to observe in a major method as a fantastic scheme match and a workhorse working again in a run-first offense.
