Since the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round this year, the assumption has been that this team had found its next workhorse running back.
Even though it is only OTAs, that assumption looks wildly correct based on the most recent fodder.
It appears as though the Steelers have, in fact, found their next franchise back in Johnson, who looks like an absolute tank in his initial practice videos.
Johnson isn't even running a play with the offense, here. These are merely drills. But, fans can see from the video that he looks like an absolute specimen. His physique looks like that of a jacked-up defensive end carrying the rock.
Kaleb Johnson is already making fans forget about Najee Harris
Whether you loved Najee Harris or not, Johnson looks eerily similar in stature. Harris is a bigger back, of course, and it's clear the Steelers wanted to find someone who possessed that physical presence.
What fans are hoping for with Johnson, though, is that he can make more of his opportunities than the likes of Harris. The former Alabama star boasted a career 3.9 yards per carry during his Steelers tenure.
Sure, you could argue the Steelers' offensive line didn't necessarily always do Harris justice. But, Harris had four full seasons to correct the narrative, and not once did he finish over 4.1 yards per carry. In fact, the consistency was uncanny. Harris finished at 3.9, 3.8, 4.1 and 4.0 yards per carry in his first four seasons as a pro, respectively.
Johnson's fresh legs and towering, chiseled physique make it easy to be optimistic that he will be able to spark an improvement in that category. At Iowa, Johnson averaged 5.5 yards per tote for his career but, in his final season, he showed out with an average of 6.4.
Between the youth and power from Johnson, and the juice from Jaylen Warren, the Steelers are hoping their ground game gets a serious lift from an under-the-radar one-two punch.
