Three NFL Teams That Could Draft Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson

The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and Iowa's exceptional running back Kaleb Johnson remains on the board. Johnson getting drafted in the first round was always a long shot, but the sweet spot for running backs in the draft, as far as recent history is concerned.

Below, I decided to assess three teams that not only could pick Johnson, but where he'd be poised to shine the brightest. I'll also note where said team is picking in the next two rounds of the NFL Draft.

Chicago Bears (Picks 39, 48, and 72):

Of course, I'm selfish and want somebody like Kaleb Johnson on my team. We already have former Iowa Hawkeye Tory Taylor as our punter, so another Iowa boy would fit perfectly on the team.

But in complete seriousness, the Bears could use another running back. D'Andre Swift is a fine back; a competent runner, but unfortunately not special. Adding Johnson would give the Bears a dynamic one-two punch in the backfield. Having both ball-carriers would be a great boon for a creative offensive mind like Ben Johnson, who was just hired as the Bears head coach this offseason.

Denver Broncos (Picks 51 and 85):

If the Bears don't bite on Kaleb Johnson, I truly believe the Broncos would not only do so, but also be an ideal fit. The Broncos currently have a tandem highlighting Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estimé. Similar to the Bears, they're good, not great. McLaughlin fell short of 1,000 yards last year, and Estimé was a competent reliever.

The Broncos taking Johnson would give second-year quarterback Bo Nix a reliable backfield option to take some of the pressure off of himself. Nix got better as the season went on, and led the Broncos to an unexpected playoff berth after most sportsbooks (foolishly) had them pegged to win 5-6 games. Pair Johnson with a quality coach like Sean Payton and you have the recipe for someone who can have an immediate impact.

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Washington Commanders (Pick 61):

This one is a bit of a dark horse, if for no other reason than it's deep in the second round, where Johnson could be off the board, but keep your eye on Washington. The Commanders are fresh off an incredible season, where expectations were minimal. Under the tutelage of new head coach Dan Quinn and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game.

Johnson could be just the kind of offensive fuel the Commanders need, especially when paired with newly acquired running back/wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

Gauge the remaining draft board for the 2025 NFL Draft on Tankathon's website.