NFL Draft Profile: RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa

He is limited in the passing game, but Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson has a running style that could play in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Browns had a successful philosophy when it came to running the ball from 2018 to 2022.

Hand it to Nick Chubb and get out of the way.

That came to an end in 2023 when Chubb suffered a major knee injury. Chubb is now a free agent, and Cleveland’s running back room of Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr. and exclusive rights free agent John Kelly Jr. is not exactly a powerhouse.

The running back group is considered to be a deep one in the 2025 NFL Draft, and if the Browns are interested in diving in, they may take a look at Kaleb Johnson of Iowa.

Name: Kaleb Johnson

Position: Running back

Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 224 pounds

College: Iowa Hawkeyes

2024 stats: 12 games, 240 rushes, 1,537 rushing yards, 6.4 yards per carry, 21 rushing touchdowns, 22 receptions, 188 receiving yards, 8.5 yards per catch, 2 receiving touchdowns

Career stats: 35 games, 508 rushes, 2,779 rushing yards, 5.5 yards per carry, 30 rushing touchdowns, 29 receptions, 240 receiving yards, 8.3 yards per catch, 2 receiving touchdowns

Relative Athletic Score: Did not qualify due to a lack of measurements.

Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 67th overall, projected third round.

The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value (from October): Day 2 – Adequate Starter

What an Expert is Saying

Lance Zierlein at NFL.com:

Johnson is built like a bruiser, but his style is more finesse, preferring to win with tempo and decisiveness. He keeps his runs on time and on track while allowing blockers to do their job. He’s not overly aggressive, but he has the size and strength to break tackles and grab extra yards at the finish. He runs with below-average creativity and cut quickness but has consistent linear play speed to pop chunk runs. He can catch, but his three-down value takes a hit because of his struggles in pass pro. Johnson’s traits and running style make him a projectable fit in a two-back system with the upside to take on a bigger chunk down the road.

What an Expert is Saying (Bonus Round)

Pro Football Focus:

At 6 feet and 225 pounds, Johnson is an NFL back. His speed-to-power conversion is very impactful for broken tackles and yards after contact. But he has surprisingly light and quick feet to read line play and find open space rather than battering through the line of scrimmage. On outside-zone plays, his build-up speed makes him look like he’s shot out of a cannon. He recorded a very impressive 97.9 PFF Game Athleticism Score in 2024.

While Johnson is an incredibly impressive runner and playmaker with the ball in his hands, he lacks polish and reliability as a third-down back. He had some bad misses and displayed poor technique in pass protection at Iowa, leading to a low PFF grade in that department. He also didn’t do much as a receiver outside of 2024.

Fit with the Browns

Johnson played in an offense at Iowa that utilized a zone-running scheme, which the Browns have successfully used under head coach Kevin Stefanski, outside of last season’s misguided work with offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. That would seem to suggest the Johnson would be an easy fit into Cleveland’s running game, even though his pass-blocking skills are not up to par. But his ability to break tackles should catch the eye of pro teams.

Browns Player Drafting Could Impact

Cleveland’s current running back room is almost as bare as the quarterback room. Even if the Browns decide to bring back Nick Chubb, they will likely still draft a running back, which puts Pierre Strong or John Kelly Jr. on the bubble.

Priority: Upper-medium. A reliable running game can be a rookie quarterback’s best friend, and that is also true for whatever “bridge quarterback” the Browns roll with this fall. Expect general manager Andrew Berry to address the position at some point in the draft.

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