Kaden Wetjen NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Pittsburgh Steelers WR

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Iowa WR Kaden Wetjen with the No. 121 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Kaden Wetjen is a versatile, twitchy Swiss army knife who was underutilized in Iowa's offensive system.

He is an incredible returner on both punt and kick returns, with underrated route-running and separation that were rarely showcased in college.

The 0-star recruit in the 2022 class began his collegiate football career at Iowa Western Community College (JUCO) before he enrolled at Iowa in 2022.

Dame Parson is the lead host of the Locked On NFL Draft podcast. He also serves as co-host of the Scouting Room NFL Podcast alongside Daniel Harms.

Highlights

Kaden Wetjen Highlights

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Scroll down for the full scouting report.

Where He Wins

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- Brings versatility with how playcallers can get him the football. Is a threat on jet sweeps, screens and other manufactured touches.

- Has outstanding short-area quickness and suddenness to blow by flat-footed defenders in coverage.

- Skilled and nuanced route-runner with great usage of decelerating and accelerating past defenders. Knowledgeable about attacking leverage to free entry points in space at the break point.

- Excels on overs, crossers and option routes, highlighting his sudden change-of-direction ability.

- Flips field position as a punt and kick returner. Is a powder keg on special teams.

Areas of Improvement

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- Undersized. Can be suffocated by longer-limbed corners.

- Has a limited catch radius and will require an accurate quarterback to highlight his separation ability.

- Struggles to counter handsy corners at the line of scrimmage. Keeping him off the line and/or in motion pre-snap will need to be an emphasis.

- Limited receiving usage at Iowa leads to questions about how pro-ready he is.

Grade, Rank, and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 6.32 (Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: Xavier Restrepo (6.5 in 2025), Chimere Dike (6.5 in 2025), Jimmy Horn Jr. (6.5 in 2025)

OVERALL RANK: 187

POSITION RANK: WR27

PRO COMPARISON: Malik Washington

Measurables and Testing Data

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Height: 5'9"
Weight: 193
HAND: 8½
Arm: 29 ⅝"
Wingspan: 71⅝"

40-Yard DASH: 4.47"
Vertical Jump: 35.5"
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: 6.95"
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.44"
Bench Press: N/A