Since passing offenses have become as high-octane as they are, the NFL has put running backs farther and farther down the line of importance, tanking their market value along the way. The Steelers found this out firsthand with Najee Harris.
Many teams will not pay running backs a second contract due to the ease of replacing most backs in the draft or by signing multiple capable veterans. This strategy could soon see a shift as running backs are fighting back to help stabilize their market value.
Record-level seasons by Derrick Henry in Baltimore and Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia could make teams think twice before letting a valuable running back go again. However, most teams will see that talents like those are few and far between and should be the outlier.
Enter the Steelers this off-season and they should follow the current strategy of finding a back in the draft. Najee Harris provided stability and was a good teammate and leader but his on-field production was average at best.
The Steelers want to be a run-first offense and Philadelphia showed that you can be successful in doing that by winning the Super Bowl this year. Make no mistake, the Steelers are a far cry away from what the Eagles have built but, they can use the Eagles' success to reassure themselves that their plan of building in the trenches and a great run game can lead them back to where they want to be.
The 2025 NFL Draft is loaded with some positions the Steelers need to focus on to achieve their goals. Running back and defensive line are two strengths of this class and the Steelers should be aggressive in pursuing the talent it has to offer there, specifically at running back.
Steelers should target Kaleb Johnson in the NFL Draft
A running back that will fit the mold in Pittsburgh while providing more burst than Najee has been able to provide is Kaleb Johnson from Iowa. I know many are thinking, "Iowa had no offense in 2024. Why would the team want anyone from that offense?" To that, I say, look further and you will see Johnson was the offense.
Every opponent of Iowa's knew they would be handing the ball off to Johnson heavily each game. Even knowing this to be true, few teams were able to keep him from making an impact.
Johnson ran for 1,537 yards on 240 carries and reached the endzone 21 times in 2024. These numbers came in a physical Big Ten conference where everyone knew he was going to get plenty of touches.
He has a combo of size and speed that can translate well to the next level and help provide the Steelers with what they seem to desire in their next running back. Johnson doesn't have Tyreek Hill speed but, he was clocked at 21.2 miles per hour in Iowa's Week 2 game against Iowa State.
Johnson's bigger frame allows him to hit the hole hard and shrug off tacklers with enough speed to get to the second level. He can also use the speed he has to bounce outside and outrun defenders.
Pass protection is something Johnson will have to work on at the next level but, if he were to be selected by the Steelers, he would have a tremendous mentor for that in Jaylen Warren who is excellent at it.
Johnson has the size, speed, power, and patience to be an excellent two-down back for the Steelers who could take over as the lead back later in his career. He did not display a ton of receiving ability in his career at Iowa but did have 22 receptions for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2024.
With Jaylen Warren most likely around for at least 2025, the Steelers need to take a hard look at Johnson in the draft. He would provide a great second back for the immediate future and a back that could take on more of the lead role to improve their run game for whoever ends up under center in 2025 and beyond.