Kaden Wetjen may not be a familiar name outside of Iowa, but he could be a player the Cleveland Browns target in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. The punt and kickoff return specialist put his name on the map with the Hawkeyes, running back multiple punts and kicks for touchdowns over the past two seasons.
The Browns have struggled with their special teams units for years and haven't yet found a player to fill the role of kick and punt returner with any type of consistency. The team has usually just thrown unused wide receivers or running backs out there to take kicks and punts, and that hasn't worked out. Right now, Cleveland has Gage Larvadain, Malachi Corley, and Tylan Wallace penciled in as their top returners.
The NFL changed rules regarding kick returns in recent years in hopes of bringing back more excitement in that part of the game. It paid off as kickoffs were returned at a 74-percent clip this past season, compared to just 32 percent the previous year.
While that percentage was an improvement for the league, it didn't give Cleveland much of a boost. The Browns recorded 54 returns of 20-plus yards as a team, and their longest return was only 34 yards. For punt returns, they only averaged 7.2 yards while making 27 fair catches.
Cleveland’s long-standing return issues could finally have a solution
Cleveland has a history of talent in the kick and punt return game, until recent years. Who remembers Eric Metcalf and Josh Cribbs? And let's not forget about Gerald McNeil or Travis Benjamin.
Metcalf was a great football player, as he was used as both a wide receiver and running back. He still returned 10 punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns. Cribbs ran three punts and eight kickoffs back for scores, including two during one game in 2009 against the Kansas City Chiefs. That was also the last time any Cleveland Browns player ran a kickoff back for a score.
Now, the Browns continue to struggle on special teams year in and year out. Adding a dynamic player like Wetjen might be just what the doctor ordered.
Last season, Wetjen ran back three punts and one kickoff for touchdowns. He also had 10 punt returns of 20-plus yards, which led the FBS. ESPN recently added him to its list of top prospects across 100 different skills and traits.
The Iowa product could also be helpful to a Browns team looking to add more energy to its offense. As a Hawkeye, Wetjen caught 20 passes for 151 yards this past season. He also rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns. The majority of his touches came near the line of scrimmage, but he has the ability to turn a short pass into a long gain, and that could help Cleveland's offense in Year 1 of the Todd Monken era.
Wetjen is projected to be taken in the later rounds of this year's draft. Cleveland needs a lot of help in the special teams room. Drafting a player like Wetjen, who has already established himself as a kick and punt return specialist, is something the Browns shouldn't sleep on during Day 3 of the draft.
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