2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Kaleb Johnson

Johnson's only available testing numbers are from the forty-yard dash. He did not qualify for a relative athletic score, but his forty-time registers a stand-alone RAS score of 6.49 out of 10.

Background:

Coming out of high school in Hamilton, Ohio, Kaleb Johnson was a three-star recruit and the #43 ranked running back in the class. He committed to Iowa after receiving offers from Cal, Iowa State, Kentucky, and Cincinnati.

Johnson leaves Iowa as the school's single-season rushing touchdown leader with 21 rushing touchdowns in 2024. As a true freshman, Johnson saw significant snaps in a running back rotation, accumulating 779 rushing yards at a clip of 5.2 yards per carry. In his sophomore year, Johnson continued to participate in a rotation, accumulating 463 rushing yards at 4.0 yards per carry. In 2024, he took over as the bell cow running back, amassing 1,537 yards on 6.4 yards per carry.

• 2024: Consensus All-American, First-team All-Big 10, Big 10 Running Back of the Year

Amongst 161 FBS running backs with at least 100 carries in 2024, Johnson had the 17th-best overall PFF grade, the 25th-best rushing grade, and the 49th-best receiving grade. His elusiveness rating of 131.5 ranked 14th, and his yards after contact per attempt ranked 8th.

Strengths:

• Johnson is a big, meat-and-potatoes runner with smooth feet and a natural feel for reading and reacting to zone rushing lanes.
• He is a patient but decisive zone runner who sees the hole and hits it with efficiency and little wasted movement.
• Johnson understands when to hit the gas and when to wait for blocks to develop further.
• He does a nice job of pressing defenders at the line of scrimmage before sidestepping with smooth lateral movements and getting vertical.
• Johnson does a nice job of falling forward, consistently finding an extra few yards at contact. He is a big, strong runner who can carry smaller defenders.
• His burst can sneak up on you when he decides to get vertical. Johnson tempos his speed well, keeping his short-area burst in his back pocket for when he needs it.
• He shows decent ability to get skinny through closing rushing lanes.

Weaknesses:

• While Johnson consistently gets what is blocked, he rarely generates much more than what is available.
• His physicality and running demeanor don't match his size. Johnson does not square up many defenders and plow through them, and his upright running style makes him a big target for defenders.
• Johnson's limited athletic profile affects his ability to find wider rushing lanes, change direction in tight areas, and discover more creative rushing options.
• He lacks the ideal speed for a horizontal run scheme and has limited ability to get wide and find the corner.
• His speed also limits his ability to break free in the open field.
• There is minimal useful tape of Johnson on passing downs, as Iowa did not ask him to work in the protection plan or as a receiver very often.

Final Thoughts and Bears Fit for Kaleb Johnson:

Kaleb Johnson is a big, patient zone runner with smooth movement traits and a natural feel for reading zone rushing lanes. He’s efficient and decisive, showing good lateral movement, burst when needed, and the ability to consistently fall forward for extra yards. His vision and timing help him maximize what’s blocked, and he tempos his runs well to keep defenders off balance.

However, he lacks the speed, agility, and creativity to generate much beyond what’s given, and his upright running style limits his power despite his size. Johnson also has limited experience in the passing game, leaving questions about his value on third down in the NFL.

Johnson should be in play for the Bears at pick 72. His profile as a big, beefy runner would fill the Bears' need for a reliable early down back who can pick up consistent yardage. Especially because he brings a strong vision for an outside zone run scheme, which is what the Bears will run.

I'll understand if they pick him at 72, but I'll be slightly disappointed. Johnson is not the running back who will excite you with nasty jukes, spins, or ferocious stiff arms. However, he is the running back who consistently gains 4-6 yards per carry and keeps the offense on schedule, which is valuable in its own right.

Pro Comp: Jordan Howard