Kaleb Johnson Sends Bold Message Before Rookie Season with Steelers

Former Iowa Hawkeyes star Kaleb Johnson was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the NFL Draft, and now, the gifted running back will try to lead a Steelers backfield that is in obvious need of a boost.

With Pittsburgh's rookie minicamp underway, Johnson is ready to make his mark, and he clearly means business heading into his debut campaign in Steel City.

“I love it here. I really love it here. I came here to play on Sundays with these guys and just overall compete," Johnson said, via Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live. "That’s the main thing right now. Compete. Learn the playbook and get ready for Sundays."

Johnson was viewed by some as the third-best halfback in this year's draft class, but he was ultimately the sixth running back off the board.

That may place a bit of a chip on Johnson's shoulder, considering the 22-year-old racked up 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging a robust 6.4 yards per carry during his final season at Iowa. He led the Big Ten in the former two categories and also set the Hawkeyes' single-season record for rushing scores.

Fortunately, Johnson has landed with a fantastic NFL organization, as the Steelers have won six Super Bowl championships and have not had a losing campaign since 2003. For context, Ben Roethlisberger was still in college at that time.

Johnson spent three years at Iowa and showed some flashes over his first couple of seasons, but he didn't truly break out until 2024. A rather pedestrian showing at the Scouting Combine caused his draft stock to dip a bit, but make no mistake: the Cincinnati native is unquestionably one of the most explosive weapons in this draft class.

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