There’s no better friend for a rookie running back to have than his offensive coordinator. Arthur Smith has been known to ride the hot hand, and if the good vibes continue between himself and third-round RB Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh could lean on the rookie a lot this year. Speaking with Steelers.com’s Missi Matthews, Johnson says he and Smith were on the same page well before the Steelers even made him their pick.
“Ever since I came on a 30 visit and me and him was talking about my film, he was just very positive,” Johnson told Matthews. “And really just let me know how he could fit into their schemes. All just being himself. That’s what I can’t respect more is the person being [themselves]. So I’m excited to work with him.”
Johnson was one of nine running backs Pittsburgh hosted for a pre-draft visit, making it clear the team’s intentions to draft the position early and replace the departed Najee Harris. Johnson became great third-round value, taken 83rd overall despite many draftniks viewing him as a top-5o player. He blends size with big-play ability, combining the team’s old and new-school values.
Talking with reporters after the selection, Smith admitted he couldn’t fully run his offense last year, his first as Steelers’ offensive coordinator. Instead, he “pivoted” the scheme to lean on the strengths of the existing talent. Najee Harris was more effective on inside zone runs while Jaylen Warren was best on power/gap concepts. Johnson is a strong fit for Smith’s bread and butter with outside zone schemes.
As our Clayton Eckert recently studied, Johnson carried the ball on outside zone schemes 94 times last year at Iowa, by far more than any other concept. His 401 yards were more than what Harris and Warren combined on the same concept in Pittsburgh. Harris averaging a sluggish 3.8 yards per carry, despite the Steelers’ pair of backs having more total carries than Johnson.
Drafting a player isn’t just about talent. It’s about system and scheme fit. Johnson fits like a glove, and Smith figures to make sure he’s immediately seeing a role in the offense.
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