Steelers Expect Fourth-Round Pick Kaden Wetjen to Turn on Jets
Looking to upgrade their special teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Iowa wide receiver Kaden Wetjen on Saturday in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
Wetjen won the Jet Award each of the last two seasons. The award goes to the nation’s top returner and is named after former Nebraska star Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers. Wetjen is the only player to win the award twice since its inception in 2011.
Not only is Wetjen an award winner, but he is also nicknamed “The Jet.” He was named Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year in both 2024 and 2025.
Undeniable on the field, he led the FBS in combined return yards last season with 1,039—no other player surpassed 750. Standing 5-foot-9 and 193 pounds, he also led the nation in 2025 with 26.8 yards per punt return. His 29.8 yards per kickoff return ranked second. Notably, he tied for the lead with three punt returns for touchdowns and also ran back a kickoff for a score.
Wetjen capped off his college career by playing in the East-West Shrine Game. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds and recorded a 35 ½-foot vertical leap.
"He makes great decisions, good ball security, and then he is, what I refer to as, he's a catch-run-cut player," Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said. "A lot of guys are looking to cut maybe before they need to. He is fearless, and he's not going to make the cuts until he has to, and he can do it late.
"He's good in a tight area, can make the shallow cuts. So, he really brings a really good skill set in the return game and especially how with the new rules in kickoff return those vertical one cut runners have been very successful over the last couple of years, and we think that's what he'll bring to the Steelers."
Wetjen began his career walking on at Iowa in 2022, redshirting after transferring from Iowa Western Community College, where he played two seasons. Sharing return duties in 2023 with current Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean , he took over as the full-time returner in the following season.
In three seasons at Iowa, Wetjen set a school record with six return touchdowns. He returned 56 kickoffs for 1,538 yards (27.5 average) and two touchdowns, and 54 punts for 954 yards (17.7 average) and four touchdowns.
Wetjen started six games as a wide receiver last year as a team captain, catching 20 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.
He also had four punt return touchdowns at the JUCO level.
Wetjen was an All-State running back in 2019 at Williamsburg (Iowa) High School, rushing for 31 touchdowns and intercepting six passes. His father, Lee, is the running backs coach at Williamsburg.
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