RB Johnson to leave Iowa, declare for NFL draft

Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who entered the season as a reserve but became a Doak Walker Award finalist, will declare for the 2025 NFL draft.

Johnson announced his intention Sunday night on Instagram, writing that his “heart is filled with gratitude and appreciation for the incredible journey I’ve experienced as a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes.” The junior from Hamilton, Ohio, did not specifically state that he will opt out of Iowa’s upcoming bowl game but wrote he will “carry the Hawkeye spirit with me as I move forward.”

“Iowa will always be home, and I will forever be a Hawkeye,” he added.

His announcement came two days after he scored Iowa’s only touchdown, on a 72-yard reception, in a 13-10 win against Nebraska at Kinnick Stadium. The 72-yarder marked a career-long reception for Johnson and Iowa’s longest play of the season.

Johnson added 45 rushing yards and ranks fourth in the FBS with 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns on 240 carries. He scored a team-record 23 touchdowns — 21 rushing, 2 receiving — and scored at least one touchdown in all 12 regular-season games, also a team record.

Last week, Johnson was named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s top running back, alongside Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Johnson also was named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, which goes to college football’s top player.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranks Johnson as the No. 3 draft-eligible running back, behind Jeanty and Hampton. Johnson was listed as Iowa’s backup on the team’s preseason depth chart, after gaining 463 yards and three touchdowns in 2023 while playing behind Leshon Williams. Another Hawkeyes running back, Kamari Moulton, started the team’s opener against Illinois State, before Johnson emerged as the team’s top ball carrier.