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Texas Football's most under-discussed star: Ryan Niblett

by: Evan Vieth05/05/26

Have we reached the point in the offseason where we can appreciate special teamers? I think so.

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Iowa return-man Kaden Wetjen has been the story of special teams for two years now, so much so that he wooed the Steelers into using a fourth-rounder on a pure special teamer.

The Iowa City speedster won back-to-back Jet Awards, given to the nation’s most impressive returnman. It’s easy to see why.

A 103-yard return highlights his kickoff pedigree, but no one even came close to his production on punt returns. A whopping 26.8 average yardage return, 563 total yards and three touchdowns all lead the FBS. He was a shoo-in for the award.

But despite Wetjen being the clear choice as the nation’s top return man, one man continuously gave him as close to a ‘run for his money’ as you can give to a literal generational player at a position.

Ryan Niblett

Niblett ended the season second in all three of the categories mentioned for Wetjen above. Both had over 460 return yards, the only two over 20 yards per return, and Niblett scored twice, one in the play above and another in the Red River Rivalry.

Wetjen somewhat overshadowed Niblett on a national scale, but with the Iowa product now in the NFL, what team feels like they have a more dangerous man in punt return than the Texas Longhorns?

Niblett’s 476 return yards in 2025 on 21.6 yards per return are each the most by a punt returner (outside of Wetjen in 2025) in the 2020s. It’s not particularly close.

Any other year, Niblett would’ve been a runaway favorite for the Jet Award, but was met by a once in a blue moon player on an unconventional playstyle team.

The last time a player at an elite program had this type of success in the return game was in 2019, with a familiar cast of characters.

It was Jaylen Waddle, coached by Steve Sarkisian on offense and Jeff Banks on special teams. 493 yards on 24.7 yards per return with a touchdown in his sophomore season in Alabama. In a two-week span, Waddle took a kick back in a win over Ole Miss, followed by 128 yards of returns on four attempts against Texas A&M.

But the Crimson Tide took him off the job in 2020 in favor of future Heisman winner Devonta Smith. Texas won’t be doing the same.

While the Longhorns have aspiring electric return man Jermaine Bishop waiting in the wings, Niblett is set to once again take back punts for this Texas team, eyes set on that Jet Award.

In a three-week span in 2025, it’s hard to see Texas winning any of its games without Niblett’s punt returns, maybe outside of the Oklahoma game, where he more secured the win than brought it to the table.

But against Kentucky, when the offense was lackadaisical, Niblett delivered Texas’ only touchdown of regulation on a silver platter, taking a kick all the way back to the five-yard line. In a game of hidden yardage and field position with two struggling offenses, Niblett was the best player on the field.

And while Texas’ offense bounced back against Mississippi State, Niblett’s return from above was necessary for the Longhorns to beat one of the SEC’s worst teams.

At least in SEC play last year, you can count on your fingers the number of true stars Texas had that were a greater help to the Longhorns than Niblett. Maybe Arch Manning, maybe Ryan Wingo, Colin Simmons and a few other defensive stars may take the cake, but Niblett was on the shortlist of the best players on the Texas team in 2025.

So even with Texas loading up on talent in 2026, Niblett’s role remains the same: ace the special teams and provide leadership and a spark to the program that no other teams in the nation can find from their punt returner.

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