Ideal Landing Spot in the NFL Draft for Running Back Emmett Johnson

Nebraska's Emmett Johnson is considered one of the best running back prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class.

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (RB10) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will start on April 23. While the best prospects in the country will be drafted at all positions, fantasy owners will have a close eye on the incoming rookie running backs. One of the top running backs on the board will be Nebraska Cornhuskers' star, Emmett Johnson. These are the top potential landing spots for Johnson. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Johnson is the perfect fit for the Steelers with Kenneth Gainwell to hit free agency next week. While Jaylen Warren is a very good running back, he's never been viewed as an early-down workhorse. Assuming Kaleb Johnson doesn't take a huge jump in his sophomore season, Johnson can slot right in to the Steelers' offense and handle the early-down work. However, he's not your typical grind-it-out back; he has displayed big-play ability and brings value in the passing game. His patience and vision are something they will love in Pittsburgh. 

Denver Broncos

Denver has to find a running back who can play that bell-cow role to pair with RJ Harvey in their backfield. Not only do they not have anyone to play that role, with JK Dobbins, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Tyler Badie all set to hit free agency, they don't have anyone at all left in their backfield other than Harvey. 

While Harvey is a fine option, he has a role, and it's never going to involve him carrying the 15-plus times a game on a weekly basis. Johnson could step into that role and be a great fit in Sean Payton's offense. 

Minnesota Vikings 

The Vikings are planning on cutting Aaron Jones on March 11 when the new league season officially begins. Johnson would not only be a great option for them, but they could probably select him in the third round after he had such a poor performance at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. 

We believe that film is far more important than combine numbers, but a lot of teams put a ton of stock into the combine, and it was a bad day for Johnson. His poor times on speed drills at the combine could damage his stock enough to make him a steal in this year's draft. It's something we've seen play out many times before.