After taking Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers went the offensive route in the third round and selected Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson. The leading rusher in the Big Ten will be someone expected to make an immediate impact and may very well earn a starting role with the Steelers sooner rather than later. Here’s what our staff thought of the pick.

“Johnson isn’t one of the many running backs with elite speed in this year’s class, but he’s fast enough. Beyond that, he’s exactly what the Steelers need in their running back room: Johnson is a big-bodied rusher who’s the perfect complement to Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, but he’s also a smooth mover who’s at his best in a zone scheme. Plus, he doesn’t have ball security concerns. Grade: A”- Ryland Bickley

“Johnson was the back that got me excited for the 2025 Draft Season. So much so that he was the first draft profile I wrote this year. Johnson needs a bit of a runway to get up to his full speed, but thankfully he’ll be afforded that in Arthur Smith’s wide zone scheme. Johnson is plenty fast for a 224-pound back and his vision and ability to set up blocks at the second level will have some comparing him to Le’Veon Bell. I wouldn’t go that far, but this is a player Yinzers should be excited to have on the team. Grade: A”- Ryan Parish

“I love this pick for the Steelers. Johnson is a perfect scheme fit for what Arthur Smith does in the wide zone run game. He’ll be the starter sooner rather than later, and his style perfectly complements that of Jaylen Warren. The potential of this pairing reminds me a lot of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. That said, and I know I’ll catch some heat for this, but I was hoping the pick was Jalen Milroe. It doesn’t mean I like Johnson any less, but it does impact the grade a bit for me. Cut to three years from now when Johnson is a Pro Bowler and Milroe is a backup in Green Bay. Grade: B+” – Jarrett Bailey