Analyst Emory Hunt has named Pittsburgh Steelers fourth-round pick Kaden Wetjen among five rookies to watch this season. Hunt praised Wetjen's potential as a kickoff and punt returner. The selection comes after the team lost Calvin Austin III in free agency.
Emory Hunt ranked Wetjen fifth on his list during an appearance on CBS Sports HQ. “This is going to be one of the better kickoff and punt returners as rookies in the NFL,” Hunt said. He noted Wetjen’s elite agility and called him a gamebreaker who provided instant offense at Iowa.
Wetjen recorded two kick-return touchdowns and four punt-return touchdowns over three years with Iowa. He won the Jet Award as college football’s top return specialist in both 2024 and 2025. Some Steelers fans questioned the fourth-round choice at the time.
Hunt also mentioned seventh-round pick Eli Heidenreich as another rookie with a chance to contribute. Both players will need to prove themselves on special teams to secure roster spots for a team featuring quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
