Whenever we hear about Kaleb Johnson's skillset, it always comes back to one thing: his timed speed. At the 2025 NFL Combine, scouts raised a red flag when he posted a 4.57 40-yard dash. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers just put this question to bed—hopefully, for the last time.
After the second day of Steelers OTAs, the rookie running back spoke to the media. When listing his best attributes, Johnson included speed as a strength, not a weakness.
“My catching ability, my route running, really my speed,” Johnson said, per Nick Farabaugh of PennLive. “Last time I checked, I hit 22 miles per hour.”
He's not wrong. Last season, Johnson hit at least 20 miles per hour on eight runs, leading all Power Four running backs. According to Dale Lolley of Steelers.com, one of these runs hit 22 miles per hour, which translates to running in the 4.3s.
Top-end speed won't be an issue for Pittsburgh Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson
I'm skeptical of using miles per hour to judge a player's speed. There have been seasons in which Daniel Jones earned a higher top speed on the GPS tracker than Lamar Jackson, and we know Jones isn't faster. There has to be an opportunity and a lot of open grass for players to hit their top speed.
The good news is that the GPS tracker offers confirmation that Johnson is capable of doing this, when given ample opportunity, of course.
My thoughts haven't changed on Johnson since the start of Steelers OTAs. During the pre-draft process, I witnessed a running back with unspectacular speed and exceleration behind and near the line of scrimmage, but once he builds a head of steam, look out!
Johnson's long speed is noticeable on film, and this is one area where he is sure to blow former Steelers running back Najee Harris out of the water. The fact that Johnson is capable of running 22 mph in open space indicates that we should see explosive plays more often from Pittsburgh's backfield this year.
Kaleb Johnson knows he's faster than his pedestrian 4.57 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine would suggest, and the rookie running back is putting these concerns to rest at Steelers OTAs.