AP FILE PHOTO - Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson warms up before a Big Ten Conference football game against UCLA on Nov. 8 in Pasadena, Calif.

IOWA CITY — Two days after the Iowa football team’s regular-season finale, junior running back Kaleb Johnson capped his collegiate career by declaring for the NFL Draft.

Johnson assembled one of the best seasons by a running back in Hawkeye history, finishing with 1,537 yards and a school-record 21 rushing touchdowns. It’s the third-best single-season rushing total in school history.

He added 188 receiving yards and two more scores to help Iowa to an 8-4 record.

“After much thought and reflection, I have decided to take the next step in my journey and declare for the NFL Draft,” Johnson posted on his Instagram account. “This decision was not made lightly, but with great excitement and anticipation that I embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead. The foundation that I have built here at Iowa has prepared me for this moment, and I carry the Hawkeye spirit with me as I move forward.”

Johnson’s breakout season came after disciplinary action that forced him to miss the first half of Iowa’s first game. He finished the opener against Illinois State with 11 carries for 119 yards and two touchounds — the first of four consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards and two TDs.

Johnson didn’t announce whether he intended to play in Iowa’s pending bowl game. Running backs Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson have combined for 612 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season.

“My heart is filled with gratitude and appreciation for the incredible journey I’ve experienced as a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes,” Johnson wrote. “It has been an honor to wear the black and gold and represent this program, this university, and this community that means so much to me.”

Johnson is a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and a semifinalist for both the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.

The 2025 NFL Draft is April 24-26 outside Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.