Evaluating a top prospect isn’t always straightforward, even when they check nearly every box in measurables, production, and breakout age. At first glance, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson looks like a can’t miss prospect and NFL-ready workhorse. His stats jump off the page, and his size-speed combination is exactly what teams covet. On tape, he stands out as a smooth runner with breakaway speed that seems almost effortless, stacking up highlight plays with ease.

However, as we have seen time and time again in the NFL, an RB is sometimes only as good as the blocking in front of him. Fortunately for Johnson, he benefited from playing behind one of college football’s most dominant offensive lines at Iowa, raising the question of how much of his production was a result of wide running lanes rather than his ability to create them. Even so, there is no denying that Johnson is a standout prospect in an exceptionally deep RB class. In this profile, we will break down what makes him a potential star at the next level while also addressing the concerns that could impact his path to success.

Editors Note: This article is part of our Rookie Profile series going on until the 2025 NFL Draft. For more on each rookie, check out Andy, Mike, and Jason’s exclusive rookie rankings and production profiles found only in the Dynasty Pass, part of the UDK+ for 2025.

College Production Profile

Johnson, a former three-star recruit from Hamilton High School in Ohio, arrived in Iowa City with modest expectations but quickly made his mark as a standout RB for the Hawkeyes, racking up 2,779 rushing yards and 30 TDs over his three-year career. He wasted no time etching his name into Iowa’s record books, breaking the program’s freshman rushing record with 779 yards in 2022.

However, his sophomore season was a frustrating one, marred by injuries and inefficiency in an underperforming offense. A Week 2 ankle injury sidelined him for three games, but he returned in dominant fashion, rushing for nearly 150 yards and a TD against Purdue. Instead of building on that momentum, his production took a sharp downturn. His efficiency declined in the following weeks, leading to a healthy scratch for one game before finishing the season with a string of underwhelming performances.

After a disastrous season, the Hawkeyes opted for a fresh start, firing offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz and bringing in Tim Lester in hopes of revitalizing the offense. While the change was promising, Lester initially announced that Johnson had lost the starting job to redshirt freshman Kamari Moulton. To make matters worse, Johnson was suspended for the first half of the season opener due to a violation of team rules, giving Moulton an even greater opportunity to seize the role.

With Johnson sidelined, Iowa’s offense stumbled out of the gate, struggling to generate points despite a favorable matchup. But at halftime, everything changed. Once Johnson checked into the game, he delivered one of the most dominant second halves imaginable, racking up nearly 130 yards and two TDs on just 12 touches while completely outshining his backfield counterparts. From that moment on, he never looked back.

Johnson went on to produce one of the most explosive seasons in college football, earning first-team All-American honors while racking up over 1,700 all-purpose yards and 23 TDs. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry and posted the best dominator score in our Production Profiles in the Dynasty Pass at 52%. The dominator measures a player’s share of team yards and TDs per game, highlighting his impact and importance to his offense. On top of that, he logged 240 carries without a single fumble, proving his reliability as a workhorse back.

2024 Season Per Game AVG:

• Rushing Attempts: 20.0
• Rushing Yards: 128.1
• Rushing TDs: 1.8
• Receptions: 1.8
• Receiving Yards: 15.7
• Receiving TDs: 0.2

Measurables 

At 6’0” and 225 pounds, Johnson not only meets the ideal build for a modern NFL RB but exceeds it, bringing a rare combination of size, power, and speed that makes him a nightmare for defenders. Despite his larger stature, he possesses impressive burst, often outrunning defenders when he finds open space. His blend of strength and acceleration makes him a tough assignment for tacklers, as he can both power through contact and break away in the open field. However, his taller frame leads to an upright running style, which is not a major concern but can create some challenges.

Running high makes a back easier to tackle, reduces power and balance, slows down cuts, and increases exposure to big hits. These factors could limit Johnsons’ effectiveness at the next level if not refined. Rare exceptions like Eric Dickerson and Derrick Henry thrived despite running upright, thanks to their rare blend of size, vision, and speed. Fortunately for Johnson, he shares many of those coveted traits, though not to the extent of the legendary examples provided. His frame allows him to absorb contact, fight through tackles, and sustain a heavy workload, all of which point to an expanded role in the NFL.

Johnson’s imposing size plays a role in his limited agility, as he occasionally struggles to make quick lateral moves when his offensive line fails to open a lane. While he has the power to push through contact, his ability to change direction fluidly and evade defenders remains a work in progress. When blocking breaks down, he can become predictable, lacking the finesse to navigate tight spaces or the creativity to improvise on the fly. If he fails to develop better movement skills and the ability to generate his own opportunities, his effectiveness could take a hit at the next level.

What’s On Tape

Games viewed: Iowa State (2024), Maryland (2024), Minnesota (2024), Nebraska (2024), Northwestern (2024), UCLA (2024)

1. Homerun Hitter

If there’s one play that perfectly encapsulates Johnson’s potential, it is certainly the one below. While he is not the fastest back in this class, his size-adjusted speed is undeniably impressive. In 2024, he recorded 43 explosive runs of 10+ yards, ranking seventh in the class. Even more impressive, 13.1% of his carries went for 15+ yards, a higher rate than Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, and Quinshon Judkins. The play below, a crucial game-tying TD in the fourth quarter, highlights every aspect of Johnson’s game-breaking ability. He accelerates the moment he sees an opening after the catch, bulldozes through initial contact from multiple defenders, and then puts on the brakes to evade the final tackler on his way to the end zone. These are the kinds of plays that will have NFL scouts and fantasy managers alike salivating over his upside at the next level.

2. Attack the Gap

At Iowa, Johnson was a key piece of an offense that relied heavily on a zone running scheme, with roughly 80% of his carries coming in this system. While he benefited from a strong offensive line, the team’s lackluster passing attack meant defenses routinely stacked the box to shut down the run. This forced Johnson to be highly disciplined, reading his blockers and making quick, decisive cuts to maximize each carry. Fortunately, Iowa’s zone scheme played to his strengths, allowing him to showcase his exceptional vision, patience, and decision-making. Once he processes the blocking in front of him, he attacks the gap with sudden explosiveness, often turning routine plays into chunk gains… just like the one below.

3. Strength & Contact Balance

At an estimated 6’0” and 225 pounds, Johnson is a punishing runner who becomes a serious challenge for defenders once he gains momentum. He rarely goes down on first contact, shrugging off arm tackles and turning would-be stops into chain-moving plays with his power and balance. His 4.42 yards after contact per carry ranked second in the class behind only Ashton Jeanty, and his nearly 33% broken tackle rate further highlights his ability to shed defenders and extend runs. He additionally did not surrender a single fumble in 2024 despite receiving 240 carries. Johnson is a disciplined runner who sticks to the designated play but often lacks the creativity and elusiveness to consistently improvise when plays break down. However, he makes up for it with his relentless physicality, forcing his way forward rather than getting bottled up for minimal gains. Once he gets rolling, bringing him down becomes a daunting task, making him a constant threat to wear down defenses over the course of a game.

What’s Not On Tape

1. Pro-Level Pass Protection

One of the biggest reasons rookie RBs lose snaps in critical situations is their struggles in pass protection, and unfortunately, this is a glaring weakness in Johnson’s game. Not only was he rarely asked to block, but when he did, the results were often underwhelming. Despite his size and physical tools, he frequently fails to engage defenders effectively and, at times, looks lost in his assignments. The good news is that while blocking technique can be taught, his natural power and frame cannot. Johnson brings a chip-on-his-shoulder mentality and appears eager to prove himself as one of the top backs in this class. While early struggles in pass protection seem inevitable, improvement in this area would keep him on the field more often and significantly raise his fantasy ceiling.

2. Expanded Route Tree

While Johnson’s pass-catching ability is not a concern on tape, he is far from a receiving specialist. That said, it is rare for an RB to have an advanced route tree, and Johnson meets the baseline requirements with reliable hands and a natural feel for basic routes. Like most backs, his usage was limited to screens, swing passes, and checkdowns out of the backfield in college. While not being a major factor in the passing game is not a dealbreaker, a lack of involvement in any capacity could greatly cap his fantasy upside. More concerning is his inexperience and flaws in pass protection, which could relegate him to an early-down role rather than a true workhorse. If he can develop in these areas, his three-down potential becomes far more realistic.

3. Creativity & Elusiveness

One of the biggest questions surrounding Johnson as a prospect is whether he can create for himself or if he simply benefited from a dominant offensive line. Adding to this concern, he often lacks the creativity and elusiveness to consistently make defenders miss, which can be attributed to his larger frame and upright running style. That said, Johnson still forced 66 missed tackles in 2024, a highly respectable number. If he lands on a team with offensive line struggles, his lack of proven improvisational ability could become a major issue. However, it would be unfair to assume he cannot create on his own simply because he thrived behind quality blocking at the college level. Until he is tested in a different system, the concern remains valid, but it is not a definitive knock on his skill set just yet.

Fantasy Outlook

Like most prospects, Johnson’s immediate fantasy impact will depend heavily on his draft capital and landing spot. His limited involvement in pass protection and the passing game raises concerns about his ability to develop into a true three-down back. If he can improve in those areas and lands with a team willing to feature him as a workhorse, he has the potential to thrive and eventually emerge as an RB1 in fantasy football. However, if he ends up in a timeshare, a common trend in today’s NFL, his upside could be capped. Given his pass protection struggles, he may initially be deployed as an early-down bruiser, making efficiency on the ground and goal-line opportunities crucial to his fantasy viability. Despite these concerns, his combination of size, power, and explosiveness makes him well worth a first-round rookie pick in dynasty leagues.

Johnson would also benefit significantly from landing with a team that boasts a strong offensive line, one capable of replicating the opportunities he thrived on at Iowa. While it is possible he could succeed without elite blocking, his college tape offers little evidence that he can consistently create for himself in those situations, leaving some uncertainty about his adaptability. A team like the Los Angeles Chargers or Denver Broncos, both of which feature an evolving offense, a solid offensive line, and no clear long-term answer at RB, would be an ideal fit. Johnson’s elite effectiveness in a zone-running scheme should make him appealing to several teams during the draft process, especially as more NFL offenses continue shifting toward this system. That versatility could help him carve out an immediate role and potentially boost his draft stock.

This draft class of RBs has often felt like Ashton Jeanty and a mix of talented backs fighting for the RB2 spot. When evaluating tape and considering how each prospect might perform at the next level, Johnson stands out as one of the most intriguing backs in the class. If he gets the desired draft capital and landing spot, his fantasy outlook for both the short and long term could be extremely promising. However, if those factors do not align, there would be some cause for hesitation. No matter what the future holds, Johnson stands out as one of the most electrifying prospects in this entire draft class, and I am eager to see how his NFL journey unfolds.