'Legitimate concerns': Steelers rookie already raising red flags in 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted return man Kaden Wetjen out of Iowa with their 121st pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. At first, questions came up about why Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy took Wetjen at this spot. Later it was revealed that other teams were eyeing Wetjen, and Pittsburgh did not want to miss out.

It is pretty clear the Steelers were still influenced by what happened in the first round of that draft when they missed out on WR Makai Lemon. This pick is one that Steeler Nation definitely needs to keep its eyes on, because in five to 10 years, it could be debated as either an incredible gamble or a questionable reach.

The Steelers heard rumblings that several other teams had Wetjen higher on their draft boards as well. They did not want to take the risk and clearly felt return man was a major need. In this case, many Steelers faithful would agree, especially after Pittsburgh watched Calvin Austin III walk in free agency during the offseason. Steelers insider Christopher Carter revealed on Wednesday via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that there are legitimate concerns in Wetjen’s game. 

"Wetjen’s struggles to beat press coverage and questions about whether the faster speed of NFL athletes will negate his playmaking ability [are there], and there are legitimate concerns for how he’ll transition to the NFL," Carter said.

Those concerns center around his ability to consistently beat press coverage and whether the increased speed and physicality of NFL defenders will limit his effectiveness as a playmaker. While his college tape shows a dynamic return threat, evaluators are not fully convinced that those same explosive traits will translate cleanly to the next level. 

The good news for Wetjen is that he won't need to beat press coverage much at the NFL level. He just needs to ensure he can still make players miss even when the speed increases by a lot.

"If Wetjen becomes a dangerous playmaker for the Steelers either on special teams, or on offense, it will most likely be the result of his abilities to make defenders miss," Carter said. "If he continues to do that at a high level, it could make for a significant boost in field position for the Steelers’ special teams units."

Carter highlighted how Wetjen is fast, but he does not have exceptional speed, so his specialty relies more on making defenders miss than simply outrunning them. As a return man, that makes him both intriguing and somewhat risky at the NFL level, where lanes close much quicker and pursuit speed is far more consistent.

Steelers' new return man may find success through one specific trait

As a returner, Wetjen will have to prove that his elusiveness can consistently translate against faster, more disciplined coverage units. In college, he often created explosive plays by forcing missed tackles in open space, but that margin for error shrinks significantly in the NFL. If he can still generate those hidden yards, he could quickly become a valuable field position weapon for Pittsburgh.

For the Steelers, his entire projection may come down to how well that one trait carries over. If Wetjen continues to force missed tackles at the next level, he could carve out an immediate role on special teams and potentially grow into more. If not, the concerns already circling his game could become a major talking point for this draft class.