You've probably seen the highlight reels by now. That big, 225-pound frame hitting a hole at Kinnick Stadium and suddenly looking a lot faster than a guy that size has any right to be. But if you’re looking at the Kaleb Johnson scouting report to figure out why he’s one of the most polarizing running back prospects we've seen in a minute, you have to look past the box scores.
The reality? Kaleb Johnson is a "riddle wrapped in an enigma" type of player.
One week, he’s looking like the second coming of a young Joe Mixon—smooth, patient, and punishing. The next, he’s running a bit too high and getting tripped up by a shoestring tackle. Honestly, that’s the charm of scouting a guy like this. He isn’t a finished product, and in an NFL world obsessed with "projectable traits," Johnson is basically a giant slab of clay that every offensive coordinator in the league wants to get their hands on.
The Physical Profile: More Than Just a Big Body
Let’s talk numbers first, because they matter. Standing at 6'0" (some scouts say 6'1") and tipping the scales at 224 pounds, Johnson has the classic "NFL workhorse" build. He’s not just big, though; he’s dense. You see it when he meets a linebacker in the "B" gap. Usually, the linebacker is the one who goes backward.
What’s wild is his burst. Usually, guys this size take a while to get the engine revving. Not Kaleb. He has this weirdly light footwork for a big man—sort of a "slalom" style where he glides between defenders rather than trying to juke them out of their cleats.
- Height/Weight: 6'0" / 225 lbs
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.57 seconds (at the Combine)
- Best Asset: Contact balance and vision in zone schemes
- Red Flag: Upright running style that leaves him exposed
He’s a one-cut master. If you’re running a wide-zone scheme, he is your dream. He’s patient—almost too patient sometimes—waiting for the tackle to seal the edge before he sticks his foot in the ground and gets vertical. When he gets that head of steam? Man, he’s a problem.
What the Kaleb Johnson Scouting Report Gets Wrong
Most people see the 4.57 forty time and think, "Okay, he’s a grinder. He’s a short-yardage guy."
That is just flat-out wrong.
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If you actually watch the tape, his play speed is significantly faster than his timed speed. PFF tracking data actually had him as one of the fastest backs in the country in terms of "max speed reached" during live play. He hits a different gear when he smells the end zone. He’s more of a home-run threat than his Combine numbers suggest, which is why NFL scouts didn't panic when he didn't run a 4.4.
However, there's a catch. He runs high.
Like, really high. Because he's long-legged, his pad level naturally floats up. In the Big Ten, he could get away with it because he was simply stronger than the guys trying to tackle him. In the NFL? If you run into a guy like Roquan Smith with your chest exposed like that, you’re going to get leveled. He has to learn to sink those hips and "run behind his pads" consistently if he wants to survive a 17-game season.
The Passing Game: The Great Unknown
This is where the Kaleb Johnson scouting report gets a little murky. At Iowa, he wasn't exactly used like Christian McCaffrey. The Hawkeyes' passing game was... well, let’s just say it wasn't a high-volume aerial circus.
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Johnson only had a handful of targets most years. But when he did catch it? He looked natural. He has soft hands and doesn't fight the ball. He’s actually a pretty decent route runner out of the backfield, he just never got the chance to show it. For a pro team, this is actually a "buy low" opportunity. You’re getting a guy with fresh legs in the passing game who might actually be a three-down back, even if the college stats don't scream it.
The NFL Transition: Why the Steelers Took the Leap
Now that we've seen him land with the Pittsburgh Steelers (selected in the third round, No. 83 overall in the 2025 Draft), the fit makes a ton of sense. The Steelers love those "North-South" hammer types. Think Najee Harris, but with a bit more juice in the open field.
His rookie year was a bit of a "waiting game," which is typical for backs in a crowded room. He sat behind guys like Jaylen Warren, learning the playbook and—more importantly—learning how to pass protect. You can't play on third down in the NFL if you can't pick up a blitzing safety, and that was the biggest hole in his game coming out of Iowa.
Comparisons and Reality Checks
People love to throw around the Derrick Henry comps because of the size and the upright style. Let's pump the brakes. Henry is a 1-of-1 alien.
A more realistic comparison? Maybe James Conner or a slightly more explosive version of A.J. Dillon. He’s a guy who thrives on volume. He gets better in the fourth quarter when the defense is tired of tackling 225 pounds of muscle. He’s a "body blow" runner. He hits you, and hits you, and hits you, until eventually, you miss a tackle and he’s gone for 60 yards.
Actionable Insights for the Future
If you’re a coach, a scout, or just a die-hard fan trying to figure out if Johnson is "the guy," here is what you need to watch for:
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- Pad Level: If he starts winning the leverage battle consistently, his ceiling goes from "rotational back" to "Pro Bowler" overnight.
- Pass Pro Awareness: Watch his eyes on passing downs. Is he finding the free rusher? If he is, he’ll never leave the field.
- Scheme Fit: He needs a team that doesn't ask him to dance in the backfield. If the line is "dirty" and he has to make three guys miss before he gets to the line of scrimmage, he’s going to struggle. He needs a runway.
Basically, Kaleb Johnson is a high-upside investment. He has the size you can't coach and the vision that usually takes years to develop. If a team can just get him to lower his chin and trust his hands in the passing game, the rest of the league is going to be wondering how he lasted until the third round.
Keep an eye on his 2026 usage—everything points to a breakout once the "rookie learning curve" is fully behind him.
To get a better feel for his game, go back and watch the 2024 Wisconsin or Nebraska tapes. You’ll see exactly why the NFL remains so intrigued by him. Focus on how he handles contact at the second level; that's where his true value lies.