Williamsburg standout Kaden Wetjen makes impact for Iowa in Music City Bowl

Kaden Wetjen with big kickoff return to give Iowa the lead in Music City Bowl

Kaden Wetjen gave Iowa an early lead at the Music City Bowl with a kickoff return for a touchdown. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Williamsburg standout Kaden Wetjen just continues to make an impact on the football field for Iowa.

Wetjen, who joined the Hawkeyes after helping Iowa Western reach the 2021 NJCAA national championship game, returned a kickoff 100 yards for the Hawkeyes in the Music City Bowl against Missouri. The touchdown came following a TD by the Tigers that had tied the game up in the opening quarter.

It was the fifth 100-yard kickoff return in school history for the walk-on.

Kaden Wetjen ended the regular season with 888 combined kick return yards.

It was BY FAR the MOST in the nation, the next closest player had 674 combined yards.

You can add 100 yards to that total now. pic.twitter.com/4WieslV242

— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) December 30, 2024

Wetjen had a standout career for Williamsburg before competing for the Reivers, where he had almost 1,000 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. 

In high school, Wetjen was a three-year letterwinner helping the Raiders win 28 games and reach the state playoffs each season. As a senior, he scored 31 touchdowns and had six interceptions on defense. 

Wetjen joined the Hawkeyes in 2022 and made the Dean’s List but did not see any game action. From there, he made an impact for Iowa, playing in all 14 games in 2023 with 335 yards on returns while ranking fourth in the Big Ten in average. 

This past season, he was a Jet Award finalist and a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy while earning Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week once. He averaged 12 yards per punt return and almost 25 per kickoff return, leading the conference in combined kick return yards. 

Wetjen, who replaced current Philadelphia Eagle Cooper DeJean on returns, is expected to return next year for Iowa.