The Pittsburgh Steelers decision to take Iowa returner/receiver Kaden Wetjen has been met with plenty of criticism, and for good reason. With a valuable pick like No. 121, multiple potential impact players could have been selected who will make their mark on either offense or defense.
Wide receiver Skyler Bell, linebacker Kyle Louis, and safety Genesis Smith were just a few of the players who went within 20 picks after the Steelers picked Wetjen, who could have played real roles for them beyond just a returner role.
However, Wetjen isn't your average kick and punt returner. He is a two-time Jet award winner as college football's top returner, and he averaged a mind-boggling 26.8 yards per punt return in 2025. If he can be the best returner in the NFL, could he end up being a steal?
Pittsburgh Steelers need Kaden Wetjen to be the NFL's top returner to justify his selection
It's not hard to see where the idea for this pick came from. The Steelers have been one of the least effective kick return units for several years now, and their punt return units haven't been much better. After their disastrous attempt at making Wetjen's college teammate, 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson, a kick returner last season, general manager Omar Khan clearly didn't want to mess around with the spot anymore.
As good as Wetjen is as a returner, he can't just be a good or even great one if this pick is going to be worth it. He certainly put up the kind of numbers that suggest he could be an outlier, however.
On top of the insane punt return average I mentioned earlier, he scored six combined return touchdowns (two kicks, four punts) and led the Big Ten in kick return average each of the last two years. You won't find a better return resumé in this draft, or, honestly, most drafts.
One of the things going against him, though, is his lack of elite athleticism for his size. He is plenty fast, but he didn't test as well as I imagine fans of his would have hoped. His 6.03 RAS score is certainly not what you would expect given his dynamic return skills, and it also doesn't bode well for his chances of developing into a contributor on offense.
Overall, Wetjen needs to either find a way on the field on offense while being a great returner, or he needs to be the unquestioned top return man in the league if he wants to avoid being a wasted pick.
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