The Kansas City Chiefs have a loaded draft board to pay attention to as the 2025 NFL Draft gets closer day by day. While several have predicted where the franchise will lean in their first round draft pick, it gets heavily forgotten that there are a ton of talented options that could fall to Kansas City past the first round.

One of those talented second to third round options comes in the form of Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson. The Chiefs do have a slew of running backs on the roster going into the new season, but there is pleanty of room to make if Johnson hears his name called on draft day.

Considering no Chief running back has reached the 1,000 or more rushing yard mark since Kareem Hunt did so in 2017, the Chiefs could be in the market to add an explosive ground game option. They do possess Isiah Pacheco, though he showed signs of regression in his third year of NFL action.

Johnson is projected to go between the second and third rounds in the NFL Draft, and the Chiefs could be the suitor. Last season with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Johnson broke out for 1,537 rushing yards in his third season with the program. He also scored 21 touchdowns, which led the Big Ten conference.

His smart running style makes him a candidate on several franchises’ boards going into the draft. According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Johnson has the build and skillset to be an effective starter within a couple of seasons.

“Johnson is built like a bruiser, but his style is more finesse, preferring to win with tempo and decisiveness. He keeps his runs on time and on track while allowing blockers to do their job. He’s not overly aggressive, but he has the size and strength to break tackles and grab extra yards at the finish,” Zierlein wrote.

The Chiefs main areas of concern do lie on both the offensive and defensive lines, as well as potentially adding a tight end. While the franchise could benefit from a player such as Johnson, he might be a player Kansas City passes on to address bigger needs.