Expectations are fairly excessive for Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie working again Kaleb Johnson in 12 months 1 within the Metal Metropolis.
Regardless of being a third-round choose at No. 83 general within the 2025 NFL Draft, Johnson was thought of among the finest working backs within the class. His touchdown in Pittsburgh has been praised repeatedly as an incredible match from a scheme and playing-time perspective.
Touchdown within the zone dashing assault that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith needs to make the most of is ideal for Johnson, who excelled in a single season in a zone scheme at Iowa, the place he led the Massive Ten in dashing.
With that match throughout the scheme and the taking part in time alternative that ought to be in entrance of him in 2025, ESPN’s Mike Clay initiatives Johnson to be among the many finest rookie working backs within the class in two key statistics. In a chunk for ESPN.com Wednesday morning, Clay projected Johnson to complete third in dashing yards and third in touchdowns from scrimmage amongst his fellow rookie working backs.
In dashing yards, Clay initiatives 947 dashing yards from Johnson, placing him behind Las Vegas’ Ashton Jeanty with 1,120 yards, and Los Angeles’ Omarion Hampton at 961 yards.
“Day 2 picks Johnson, [Quinshon] Judkins, [RJ] Harvey, and TreVeyon Henderson must also play main roles proper out of the gate. Their manufacturing is a bit tough to venture, as we haven’t seen a ton of high-end success from second- and third-round backs,” Clay writes relating to the projection for Johnson. “Since 2011, solely 13 of 74 RBs chosen in Rounds 2-3 have reached 800 dashing yards in 12 months 1. Fourteen of them reached six dashing touchdowns.
“If this rookie working again class actually is particular, then we must always count on extra output from later picks. Johnson will doubtless be the first ball provider in Pittsburgh.”
Johnson ought to be Pittsburgh’s main ball provider forward of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. Whereas Warren has a extra well-rounded skillset and expertise in Smith’s offense, and Gainwell has expertise within the NFL basically, Johnson simply initiatives as a greater match and matches the scale, velocity, and play fashion that the Steelers are likely to gravitate in direction of on the working again place.
He doesn’t have elite velocity from a testing perspective (4.57 40-yard sprint), however he persistently hit the house run throughout his time at Iowa and was an actual playmaker for the Hawkeyes. Ought to he see constant taking part in time, that ought to carry over into Pittsburgh.
Together with the projected dashing yards, Clay sees Johnson discovering the tip zone very often. He initiatives him to have seven dashing touchdowns and one receiving landing, ending third amongst all rookie RBs in touchdowns from scrimmage with eight complete, behind solely Hampton (11) and Jeanty (9).
A rookie season of 947 yards and eight complete touchdowns can be encouraging from Johnson, however it could all be depending on the variety of touches and snaps performed in comparison with Warren and Gainwell. That’s an inexpensive projection from Johnson in Smith’s scheme, and can be reasonably encouraging shifting ahead, too, because the time in Pittsburgh seems reasonably shiny for Johnson.
