Kaleb Johnson broke out for Iowa Football this past season, rushing for 1,537 yards on 240 carries with 21 touchdowns. Johnson is built like a prototypical power running back, but he prefers to run with more decisiveness, instead of running people over. He has exceptional vision and patience for a bigger RB and his skill set is getting him noticed.
Iowa Football ended the 2024 season on a sour note, losing to the Missouri Tigers 27-24 in the Transperfect Music City Bowl, where Johnson sat out. The Hawkeyes are sending seven players to the NFL Combine with Johnson being the headliner.
Johnson has risen in recent draft projections and he is ranked as high as 40th in ESPN's most recent projection. This would place him as high as the second round, but could potentially fall to the third round, depending on the team on the clock.
Johnson is a workhorse back and he can easily tote the rock for 20+ carries if called upon. The Hawkeyes had a horrible passing attack last season and Johnson was heavily relied upon, and even with most teams keying in on him, he was very productive.
He can fit in a two-running back system or be a workhorse, plus he can give you a little extra in the passing game. He did struggle at times in protection, so he would not be used in third-down situations at this current juncture in his young career.
Several teams that need running backs have second-round picks (Chargers, Chiefs, Cowboys, among others) and I do not see Kaleb dropping below the middle of the second round.