The Steelers selected Iowa wide receiver Kaden Wetjen with the 121st overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Wetjen started seven of the 40 games he appeared in for Iowa. He had 23 receptions for 197 yards and one touchdown over three seasons.
He also shined as a punt returner, with 954 return yards, a 17.7-yard average, and four touchdowns. He also returned 56 kickoffs for 1,538 yards, a 27.5-yard average, and two touchdowns.

“He plays the game fearlessly, but he plays it smart,” said special teams coordinator Danny Crossman. “Our top rated dual return player, and in this new dynamic kickoff age of the National Football League, to have a guy that’s in our opinion very good at both, we think it’s going to be a major addition and pay dividends for the club.”

Wetjen was a consensus All-American in 2025 as a returner, including Walter Camp, AFCA, Sporting News, FWAA, USA Today, On3, and PFF first-team All-America. He was also named to The Athletic second-team All-America list.

In addition, he was Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year in 2025, the second time he won it and the first two-time recipient since the award was created in 2015.

“Obviously there seems to be a good consensus that he was a high-level player that can help the club to victories,” said Crossman. “The only thing that any of us are worried about is hanging Ws. So, we think this is a player that can help us do that.”

Crossman likes what Wetjen brings to the return game, especially that fearless approach he mentioned.

“Number one, he makes great decisions, good ball security, and then he is, what I refer to as, he’s a catch-run-cut player,” said Crossman. “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.”