When the Pittsburgh Steelers landed Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson at No. 83 overall late in the third round, the elation from the franchise could be felt across the NFL landscape. The Steelers sat tight, let the board fall to them, and landed one of the best running backs in the draft, giving Pittsburgh at true No. 1 workhorse at the position following the loss of Najee Harris in free agency.
Johnson joins a backfield featuring Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, and — for the time being — Cordarrelle Patterson. Among those players, Johnson profiles as the best one-cut runner in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme, which should bode well for the rookie when it comes to playing right away in the NFL.