Steelers Host Bruising Running Back for Pre-Draft Visit
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson among four-draft visitors to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Thursday.
Johnson is one of the top running back prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, and is currently the No. 60 player on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board.
With speedsters Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell already on the roster, Johnson would be a change of pace for the Steelers as a power back. He’s 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, but still ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Combine.
Johnson showed plenty of burst to go along with his power on tape at Iowa. In his breakout junior season in 2024, Johnson rushed 240 times for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading a Big Ten that also included potential top picks Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson of Ohio State.
Johnson also caught 22 passes for 188 yards and two more scores, though his primary value to the Steelers would likely be as an early-down and short-yardage complement to the speedy duo the team already possesses.
How they’d get Johnson is another story. The team does not have a second-round pick after trading their to the Seattle Seahawks for DK Metcalf. General manager Omar Khan said this week that he is open to re-acquiring that pick, but did not divulge how the team might go about that.
In addition to Johnson, Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas and Pitt tight end Gavin Bartholomew all visited the South Side on Thursday.
Bartholomew is exempt from the maximum of 30 pre-draft visits as a local player. The Steelers have used nine of their 30 visits, with another eight reported.
In addition to Johnson, Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas and Pitt tight end Gavin Bartholomew all visited the South Side on Thursday.
Bartholomew is exempt from the maximum of 30 pre-draft visits as a local player. The Steelers have used nine of their 30 visits, with another eight reported.
STEELERS 2025 NFL DRAFT VISITOR TRACKER
xIowa State WR Jaylin Noel (reported)
Louisville QB Tyler Shough (March 6)
Ole Miss DT J.J. Pegues (March 6)
West Virginia OL Wyatt Milum (March 6) (exempt)
Kansas State RB DJ Giddens (reported)
Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson (March 14)
TCU WR/RB Savion Williams (March 14)
Iowa DT Yahya Black (March 14)
Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten (reported)
Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins (March 17)
Pitt K Ben Sauls (March 18) (exempt)
Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon (reported)
Florida State DT Joshua Farmer (per player)
SMU DL Elijah Roberts (per player)
Texas RB Jaydon Blue (per player)
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart (reported)
Texas WR Matthew Golden (April 3)
Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson (April 3)
Florida State CB Azareye’h Thomas (April 3)
Pitt TE Gavin Bartholomew (April 3) (exempt)
