After declining the fifth-year option of Najee Harris in the offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be looking to add a new running back through the 2025 NFL Draft.
Pro Football Network has released their latest NFL Mock Draft with the Steelers picking at No. 27. PFN’s Brett Hoffman has Pittsburgh going with a new offensive weapon, avoiding the wide receiver position and instead selecting Iowa Hawkeyes star running back Kaleb Johnson.
Johnson had a huge year for Iowa in the 2024 college campaign, rushing for 1,537 yards while averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. His most impressive stat that the Steelers would love when looking for a new running back is his ability to score — totaling 21 touchdowns on the season. Johnson also managed to add through the air, catching 22 passes for 188 yards and two more scores.
Pittsburgh is a run-heavy team and has been over the last few seasons. Through the first 15 weeks of the 2024 season, the Steelers rank second in rushing attempts with 455 and tenth with 126.6 rushing yards per game.
The Steelers will have plenty of options for their backfield this offseason, including the potential to re-sign Harris.
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