The Iowa Hawkeyes finished the 2025 college football regular season 8-4. U of I had a rollercoaster season that very easily could have turned out drastically different. The team’s four losses were all one-score games. While inconsistency cost the team at times, the one area of the game that was consistent all season was the return game. The reason for that: Kaden Wetjen. The senior wide receiver has become the best return man in college football.

Kaden Wetjen’s 2025

Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) runs a punt return back scoring a touchdown against the Minnesota Golden Gophers Oct. 25, 2025, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) runs a punt return back scoring a touchdown against the Minnesota Golden Gophers Oct. 25, 2025, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Photo credit: Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Being a wide receiver on the 284th-best passing team in Division I college football did not give Wetjen much of a chance to stand out. He caught just 20 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown for the Hawkeyes this season. He also ran the ball 13 times for 78 yards and two scores. The one place that Iowa was able to take advantage of Wetjen’s skill set was the return game.

The speedster ran back 14 kickoffs for 427 yards and a touchdown, and 19 punts for 538 yards and three touchdowns. Wetjen’s punt return yards, punt return touchdowns, punt return average, and total return yardage led all of Division I college football. He had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Rutgers. He had a 95-yard punt return touchdown against UMass. He was the only player in the nation to have both a punt and a kick return score. Wetjen was named a finalist for the Jet Award for the best return specialist on Monday.

2025 Was Not A Fluke For Kaden Wetjen

Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) returns a punt to the endzone against the Michigan State Spartans Nov. 22, 2025, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) returns a punt to the endzone against the Michigan State Spartans Nov. 22, 2025, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Photo credit: Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For those who think that Wetjen came out of nowhere, he didn’t. The Williamsburg, Iowa, native won the Jet Award in 2024. He led all of college football with 727 kickoff return yards. He was the only player in the nation to have both a kick and a punt return touchdown in 2024 as well. He ran a punt back 85 yards for a score against Northwestern in October, and then ran a kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown against Missouri in the Music City Bowl.

End Of My Kaden Wetjen Rant

Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium.
Sep 19, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium.
Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Wetjen is a shoo-in to win his second straight Jet Award. He is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Going into last weekend, he led the nation in return yardage by more than 200 yards. As inconsistent as the Hawkeyes‘ offense was this season, it is surprising that Coach Kirk Ferentz didn’t try to put the ball in Wetjen’s hands more often. Hopefully, NFL scouts have taken notice of the senior’s talents despite his lack of involvement on offense. Watching Wetjen on Saturdays has been fun, but I personally can’t wait to see what the 23-year-old can do on Sundays.