Iowa Hawkeyes Star Keeps Rising in NFL Draft Projections

Iowa Hawkeyes star running back Kaleb Johnson has just kept rising in NFL Draft projections.

Sep 21, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson (2) runs the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Huntington Bank Stadium. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes are getting ready for their Music City Bowl outing against the Missouri Tigers on Monday. However, they will be playing the game without star running back Kaleb Johnson.

As most fans know, Johnson has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. In order to make sure that he stays healthy, Johnson opted to sit out the bowl game and will instead be focused on the pre-draft process.

Johnson put together a monstrous 2024 season for Iowa. He was an unstoppable force for the Hawkeyes' offense all season long and shouldered almost all of the load throughout the year.

When all was said and done, Johnson ended up carrying the football 240 times for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns. Those numbers average out to an impressive 6.4 yards per carry.

In addition to his rushing totals, he also caught 22 passes for 188 yards and two more scores.

Following his dynamic season, Johnson has been starting to rise up mock draft boards. Many are starting to view him as a potential first round pick.

Theo Gremminger of Player Profiler has released a new mock draft. In that mock draft, he had the Los Angeles Chargers selecting Johnson in the first round.

"Jim Harbaugh gets his bell cow in Johnson. In some years, Johnson would be the first running back selected. But with Jeanty in the fold, he takes his place as the second running back off the board but lands in a dream spot. Johnson gained more draft capital than any running back in this draft class. He combined home run-hitting big-play ability with the ability to earn hard yards on his way to a 1,537 rushing yards and 21-touchdown season. Johnson displayed the ability to become a three-down workhorse with 22 receptions."

Standing in at 6-foot-0 and 225 pounds, Johnson has great size for an NFL running back. He combines that size with great burst, solid speed, and the ability to pick up tough yards after contact.

Johnson has legitimate superstar potential at the next level. Landing with a team like the Chargers would be perfect.

He would be able to come in and play alongside an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert. Los Angeles currently has J.K. Dobbins as their lead back, but he could end up leaving town in the offseason. Johnson would be an excellent replacement.

All of that being said, Johnson's future is looking brighter by the day. His impressive season has put him in play to be a first round pick and that is starting to be reflected in new mock drafts.