The Steelers drafted running back Kaleb Johnson, previously of the Iowa Hawkeyes, in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Anyone in the know in Pittsburgh understood what the meant for the Steelers backfield. Najee Harris was out, and Johnson was in. The rookie is expected to team up with the speedy Jaylen Warren to lead Pittsburgh's rushing attack. Given Arthur Smith is the team's offensive coordinator, that means a lot of carries. But did the Steelers take the right back? The early reviews are...complicated.
Johnson had just 20 yards on eight carries in his preseason debut. He certainly didn't wow Steelers fans, though some of that can be blamed on the offensive line. The passing attack thrived against the Jaguars, but the running game never really got going. Lew Nichols was the team's leading rusher with 31 yards on six carries.
Steelers fans see similarities between Kaleb Johnson and Najee Harris
A flaw in Johnson's game so far at the professional level (which has been brief) is his inability to find the hole. Johnson spent most of his first preseason game dancing behind the line of scrimmage and expecting opportunities to be presented to him. The Steelers employ a downhill running scheme. If Johnson wants to be successful in Pittsburgh, he needs to avoid the following:
Kaleb Johnson looked like Najee Harris 2.0 vs Jacksonville. Yikes.pic.twitter.com/YFYREat0ns
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) August 12, 2025
Johnson might make it as a dancer with that technique, but if he hopes to start at running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers long term, he should run between the tackles and take what's given to him. There are always exceptions to that rule, and the Steelers run the ball enough that Johnson should have plenty of chances to break big gains. However, not every run can be a big gain. Johnson's vision was supposed to be a strength, and thus far, it's been a struggle for him.
Mike Tomlin wants to see more out of Steelers rookie Kaleb Johnson
Per Penn Live's Nick Farabaugh, "Tomlin is hoping to see growth from his team over the next few weeks leading up to their first game, and singled out running back Kaleb Johnson as someone who he would like to see smooth out his game."
That is a direct message for Johnson through the media, which likely means Tomlin has spoken to the rookie privately already. By no means is Johnson on the roster bubble, but if he wants to receive regular carries come Week 1, he needs to show some promise against the Buccaneers on Saturday.
As for Steelers fans, they are quick to judge. Pittsburgh sports fans can distinguish the good running backs from the bad pretty quickly. They didn't waste much time judging Johnson for his preseason debut. Here is what Mike Nicastro had to say.
"We’ve broached the point of panic that 'Kaleb Johnson' looks so much like Najee Harris where people are acting like Najee was Trent Richardson," Nicastro said. "If Najee was a third round pick, he’d have much more respect within the fanbase. Maybe lower expectations with Kaleb a tad."
As Nicastro notes, it's not like Najee had a bad career with the Steelers. However, when they let Harris walk after leading the team in carries, it was clear Omar Khan and Tomlin were looking for something different. Doubling down with a cheaper version of Harris isn't what they had in mind.