Iowa Star Predicted to Link Up With Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

This Iowa Hawkeyes star is being predicted to land with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kaleb Johnson (2) and Diante Vines (0) celebrate a TD during the NCAA football game, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Iowa won 24-3. | Clay Maxfield/for Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The NFL Draft stock of Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson has been very interesting to watch over the last several weeks, as it has been one heck of a sliding scale.

After the 2024 college football season concluded, there were some who actually had Johnson pegged as a potential first-round pick, but most had him going in Round 2. Then, thanks to a shoddy showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, Johnson's stock dipped considerably.

At this point, pretty much everyone is in agreement that he will be a Day 2 pick, and most suddenly feel he will fall to the third round. However, Reese Decker of Pro Football Network seems to think more highly of Johnson than most.

In a recent three-round mock draft, Decker has Johnson going to the Kansas City Chiefs with the 63rd pick, which is right at the back end of the second round.

Johnson would definitely be an interesting fit for the Chiefs, as they haven't ever really had a great rushing attack throughout the Patrick Mahomes era. Kansas City has managed to win three Super Bowls without one, but now, the NFL seems to be trending back toward strong ground games.

Yes, the Chiefs do have Isiah Pacheco, but he missed considerable time this past year due to injuries, and Kansas City could use a dependable backfield partner for him, anyway.

Johnson racked up 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns during his final season at Iowa in 2024, leading the Big Ten in both categories. He ran an eyebrow-raising 4.57-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, but perhaps the Chiefs will bank on his overall talent rather than his pedestrian breakaway speed.

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