Iowa Superstar Continues to Earn Tantalizing NFL Comparison

This Iowa Hawkeye superstar continues to receive a very promising comparison heading into the NFL Draft.

Oct 26, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson (2) runs for a 26 yard touchdown against Northwestern Wildcats defensive back Braden Turner (9) during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson established himself as one of the most explosive weapons in the country this past season, racking up 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging a robust 6.4 yards per carry.

Not surprisingly, Johnson has rocketed up NFL Draft boards and is expected by most to be at least a second-round pick, and some feel he could even get selected on Day 1.

Regardless of when he gets chosen, Johnson will be in the NFL next season, and he continues drawing a very interesting comparison to Arizona Cardinals halfback James Conner.

Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team was the latest person to liken Johnson to the Cardinals Pro Bowler.

"There aren't a lot of 6-foot-2 running backs in the league, but someone with a body type and play style similar to Kaleb Johnson would be James Conner," Brooke wrote. "... Conner, at 6-foot-1 and 233 pounds, has a similar build to Johnson. He has played with vision, power, and contact balance to be a productive running back throughout his career. He's averaged more than 3.0 YAC per carry in eight NFL seasons and hasn't shown severe signs of slowing down."

Conner has long been one of the league's most underrated running backs and has rattled off back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns for Arizona.

The 29-year-old spent the first four years of his professional career with the Pittsburgh Steelers before signing with the Cardinals in 2021. He has made a couple of trips to the Pro Bowl, with his most recent appearance coming during his debut campaign in the desert.

If Johnson can carve a career as productive as Conner's, it would be impressive, but he also definitely has the potential to be the superior player.

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