After authoring one of the best seasons by a running back in the history of Iowa football, Kaleb Johnson is headed to the NFL. On Friday, we found out where he's headed next, as Johnson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 83rd overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Johnson arrived at Iowa in 2022 and led the Hawkeyes in rushing as a freshman with 779 yards and six touchdowns. An injury-riddled and inconsistent sophomore season slowed his ascent, though, as he finished the year with just 463 yards and three scores. Healthy and refocused, Johnson exploded for a huge season as a junior and with 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground over 240 carries. Through the air, he added 22 passes for 188 yards and two scores.
He posted Iowa single-season records in points (138), total touchdowns and rushing scores. He scored in all 12 games this season, which is the longest streak in program history. Johnson also led the Big Ten in rushing by over 250 yards, and eight touchdowns, taking 16 fewer carries than second-place Kyle Monangai of Rutgers. That triumphant campaign earned him All-Big Ten first team and Big Ten Running Back of the Year honors, as well recognition as a consensus first-team All-American.
Arguably the signature play of Johnson's season -- if not Iowa career -- came in his final appearance in an Iowa uniform, as he turned a short pass into an explosive 72-yard catch-and-run that showed off his unique combination of strength, balance, and speed.
"Coach Betts always tells me to always finish and always use my size, my strength, and my speed," Johnson said about the touchdown. "That [play] right there showed me what I can do and how strong I am."
"Green grass, I guess," Johnson said after the game when asked what he saw after catching the ball on his epic catch-and-run. "I looked for a quick second, put my shoulder down, and just kept going. I told myself the team needed me in that moment. I was not gonna let my seniors down. I just said I gotta make a play for the team, I gotta put the team on my back."
STRENGTHS
Johnson is a powerful and fluid runner; he has a long-striding style of running that enables him to glide down the field and elude tacklers. He's also strong enough and physical enough to break tackles and get extra yards after contact.
He had 43 carries of 10+ yards in 2024 and has very good north-south acceleration. He shows good patience and tempo in his runs and uses angles well. Over the course of his Iowa career, he improved his ability to read blocks and became much more decisive as a one-cut runner.
Johnson also has the capability to contribute in the passing game, particularly on screen passes, flair routes, and other plays out of the backfield. His hands and ability to haul in less-than-perfect passes also improved during his tenure in Iowa City.
WEAKNESSES
Johnson isn't a burner -- he doesn't have elite speed and his lateral quickness isn't the best. He tends to run with a fairly upright running style, which does provide a bigger target for defenders to target in tackling efforts. His pass protection was a bit inconsistent at Iowa and will need further refinement and improvement at the NFL level for him to be a true three-down running back.
