"All-Pro": Steelers Have Rookie That Is Destined For Immediate Success

Any time an organization like the Pittsburgh Steelers takes 10 new rookies in a NFL Draft, a lot of attention will be placed on that class. General Manager Omar Khan has a good track record to this point since being promoted in May of 2022, but the team still has yet to win a playoff game during his tenure. It will be important for the some of the members of the new batch of first-years to come in and contribute almost immediately. It will depend on how well the collective performs in training camp and the preseason; however, some are already getting a little more hyped up compared to others.

The Steelers had a legitimate advantage over several other franchises because of the five selections that they had on the first two days. A lot of attention will continued to be placed on those individuals, but it's hard to ignore certain picks from Day 3 such as Kaden Wetjen and Eli Heidenreich. The two could turn into invaluable special teams weapons with the abilities to one day also contribute on the offensive side of the ball.

On Monday, former NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker hosted a new episode of his podcast and welcomed Emory Hunt of CBS Sports. The college football guru went into detail about the AFC North and how the draft panned out for each franchise. Someone that caught his eye in regard to Pittsburgh was no one other than Wetjen, who Hunt believes is going to turn heads pretty much immediately.

"Kaden Wetjen, the returner, the slot guy from Iowa, instantly starting punt returner, kick returner," Hunt said. "He's probably going to be an All-Pro as a rookie in that regard while he develops more so as a receiver."

The Steelers could have a legitimate threat in Wetjen. For the majority of the last decade, both of Pittsburgh kickoff and punt return units have performed poorly. A lot of fans fell in love with Danny Smith during his time in the Steel City, but the combination of Wetjen and new special teams coordinator Danny Crossman could change everything for the organization.

Flipping field position is incredibly underrated at the professional level, and there were countless times when the Steelers were starting offensive drives from inside their own 10-yard line, but then only giving the opposing team a short field to score soon after. Wetjen isn't going to find the end zone every time he touches the ball; however, his elusiveness is going to go a long way for Pittsburgh.

Wetjen might not be someone who is getting too many offensive snaps, but his fresh legs and talents in the return games could end up being some of the more secret advantages that the Steelers have throughout the 2026 campaign. A scouting guru like Hunt labeling Wetjen as a first-year All-Pro right off the bat has to have fans excited, because Pittsburgh's special teams group could have just gotten a lot more dangerous.

Originally viewed as a late Day 3 selection, Wetjen was famously on the golf course when the Steelers reached out to tell him that he was being taken in round four, as opposed to the sixth or seventh. It seems to have been a clear goal of the coaching staff and front office to bring someone in who could immediately flip a field in a moment's notice. Smith has to be a little jealous — now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — that he hadn't had a dynamic returner like Wetjen for some time.

Steelers Hoping To Sneak A Couple Of Returns For Touchdowns In 2026

Wetjen has the ability to provide a spark that could really turn around any game in any given week. An All-Pro status would be phenomenal and many would immediately look past the fact that the team took essentially a specialist in the fourth round. Wetjen has the tools that the Steelers have been looking for recently, and now he could make a big splash right away.

#SteelerNation