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Under the notoriously run-focused guidance of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot to smooth over in the offseason. After losing former starting running back Najee Harris in free agency, the Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round, who has already been showing out in rookie minicamp.
Instead of taking a quarterback early in the draft, the Steelers selected Johnson two rounds after making Derrick Harmon the No. 21 overall pick of the first round. Pittsburgh took Johnson with its lone Day Two pick despite projected first-rounder Shedeur Sanders still on the board.
With the pick, Johnson became the sixth running back taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ashton Jeanty, as expected, led the group at No. 6 to the Las Vegas Raiders, with Omarion Hampton going late in Round One to the Los Angeles Chargers. Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson, and RJ Harvey all went in the second round before the Steelers added Johnson near the end of Day Two.
Though Johnson has to earn his job in the coming months, the Steelers have high expectations for him as a rookie. With a strong rookie minicamp performance, he is off to a great start.
Kaleb Johnson impressed at rookie minicamp
The Steelers still have fourth-year utility player Jaylen Warren on their roster, and they signed veterans Kenneth Gainwell and Trey Sermon in free agency. However, Johnson is the guy who they hope will replace Harris' production.
Smith's offense bases itself around the run game, often requiring a heavy dosage of physical, inside dives between the tackles. Warren does not have the frame to be a lead back in such a scheme, while neither Gainwell nor Sermon have proven capable of taking on a full workload.
If there is an answer in the locker room, it will be Johnson, whose six-foot, 225-pound stature mimics that of Harris. His physique is what immediately stood out at the Steelers' rookie minicamp, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Ray Fittipaldo.
“At rookie minicamp, [Kaleb Johnson] was the first guy who stood out to me,” Fittipaldo said, via Steeler Nation. “I saw him going through drills. He was all rocked up. I'm like, ‘Okay, give me the roster. Who's No. 20?' It was Kaleb Johnson. He looks every bit the part of an NFL player.”
Johnson caught scouts' attention with his tackle-breaking prowess at Iowa, which was on full display in minicamp. During the Steelers' first true look at him on the field, Johnson reportedly showed off the tenacity and acceleration they hoped to get out of him.
Rookie minicamps do not include full pads, which prevented Johnson from performing his best attribute, but coaches saw enough.
In addition to his running, the 21-year-old also turned heads with his pass-blocking reps. Johnson executed the drills with acute attention to detail, particularly showing exquisite footwork. While recognizing pass protection as a potential weakness, Johnson noted he is most focused on improving that part of his game, The Athletic's Mike DeFabo reported.
Steelers need Kaleb Johnson to deliver in 2025
It might take time for Johnson to climb up the depth chart, but Pittsburgh eventually needs him leading the backfield. Neither one of Warren, Gainwell, or Sermon is a long-term answer. There is a reason the Steelers invested so much capital in the rookie running back depite the trio of veterans on their roster.
With Warren, Gainwell, and Sermon, neither one of them has rushed for more than 784 yards in a single season. Warren managed that total in 2023 but regressed to just 511 rushing yards in 2024, his first year under Smith. Gainwell and Sermon ran for just 449 rushing yards combined in 2024.
Even with all his faults, Harris is the type of running back Smith desired in his offense. The bruising 242-pound running back topped 1,000 yards in all four of his years with the Steelers. While he was never the most efficient runner, his consistency and durability reigned supreme as Harris has yet to miss a game in his professional career.
Johnson has just one year as a full-time starter at Iowa but fielded 240 carries in 2024, the 11th-most in FBS. Led by longtime head coach Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes execute a similar run-heavy scheme that adequately prepared Johnson for a similar role in the NFL.
As they continue to wait on Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh is still without a starting quarterback. Until a solution comes to fruition, Mason Rudolph is listed as the de facto starter.
Even if the Steelers finally land Rodgers — or one of the remaining veterans on the market — the late start will inevitably lead to early-season growing pains. The running game will be an even larger part of the team's focus, at least until the wheels fall off and their season goes awry.
