Once former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, we knew running back would be a top priority in the 2025 NFL draft. Despite selecting Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, Harris never lived up to the draft slot. This was despite topping 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first four seasons.
On Friday night, the Steelers made former Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson their third-round pick with an eye on upgrading what Harris couldn’t do for the Steelers.
The biggest advantage Johnson has over Harris is in terms of explosive plays. Johnson’s acceleration and speed allowed him to break off runs of at least 40 yards in six games last season. Meanwhile, Harris never had a 40-yard run in four seasons with the Steelers.
During the television broadcast, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban compared Johnson’s style to that of Harris and we tend to agree. They are both guy who aren’t shy about initiating contact and are very hard to bring down once they get up a head of steam. The big difference is Johnson’s vision gives him far more opportunities than Harris gives himself and once Johnson gets a crease, he gets up to speed in a hurry. Some critics point to a 4.57-second 40 time for Johnson. However, this is still .1 faster than Harris’ and during last season, Johnson was clocked at 22 miles per hour on the field.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Steelers select Kaleb Johnson to replace Najee Harris
Once former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, we knew running back would be a top priority in the 2025 NFL draft. Despite selecting Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, Harris never lived up to the draft slot. This was despite topping 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first four seasons.
On Friday night, the Steelers made former Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson their third-round pick with an eye on upgrading what Harris couldn’t do for the Steelers.
The biggest advantage Johnson has over Harris is in terms of explosive plays. Johnson’s acceleration and speed allowed him to break off runs of at least 40 yards in six games last season. Meanwhile, Harris never had a 40-yard run in four seasons with the Steelers.
During the television broadcast, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban compared Johnson’s style to that of Harris and we tend to agree. They are both guy who aren’t shy about initiating contact and are very hard to bring down once they get up a head of steam. The big difference is Johnson’s vision gives him far more opportunities than Harris gives himself and once Johnson gets a crease, he gets up to speed in a hurry. Some critics point to a 4.57-second 40 time for Johnson. However, this is still .1 faster than Harris’ and during last season, Johnson was clocked at 22 miles per hour on the field.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Steelers select Kaleb Johnson to replace Najee Harris
