Special teams have been a disaster for the Las Vegas Raiders for as long as fans can remember. The kicking and punting crew has largely been great, but the kick and punt coverage units, as well as the kick and punt returners, have routinely affected games in the worst possible way.
The Raiders haven't returned a punt for a touchdown since 2018, and they haven't returned a kick for a score since 2011. That is an absolutely staggering stat, and an indictment of every coaching staff and general manager who has come through and not invested in the third phase of the game.
Although Las Vegas went out and got a great returner in Dareke Young this offseason, the 2026 NFL Draft is chock full of young players who can make an impact in the return game. Here are the best of the best in this year's class, and the Raiders should keep a firm eye on this list.
Kick/punt returners in 2026 NFL Draft for Las Vegas Raiders fans to know
Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
Branch is already on the Raiders' radar as a wide receiver, but he can bring it as both a kick and punt returner as well. He led the Pac-12 in punt return yards, punt and kick returns for touchdown and total kick returns as a freshman and led the nation in average yards per punt return that year, too. Branch ended his career with 586 punt return yards (13.3 average) and a touchdown, as well as 752 kick return yards (19.3 average) and a score. He can make an impact there as he grows on offense.
KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
Concepcion also appears to be in Las Vegas' eyesight as a receiver, but he blossomed into a great punt returner in his final collegiate season. After returning just five punts for 45 yards in his first two years, Concepcion fielded an SEC-best 25 punts for 456 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. He was electric in that phase of the game, which surely caught the eye of Raiders special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis, who held the same title at Concepcion's SEC rival South Carolina last year.
Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
Price is likely to go in Round 2, and the Raiders don't have any business taking a running back that early. But if he falls, then Las Vegas could land an Ashton Jeanty complement and dynamic returner bundled into one. Price made his mark at Notre Dame as a returner, fielding 10 kicks for an average of 34.4 yards per return as a freshman, tacking on a touchdown. In 2025, he took two of 12 kickoff returns to the house and led the Big 10 in kick return yards and the country in kick return average.
Kaden Wetjen, WR, Iowa
Wetjen is the best returner in the class, as he was an All-American in 2025. Between kick and punt returns, he amassed six touchdowns and just south of 2,500 total return yards in his career. Wetjen led the country in kick return yards in 2024 and punt return yards, yards per punt return and touchdowns in 2025. He led the Big Ten in kick returns and punt returns, as well as kick and punt returns for touchdowns in 2024 and kick yards per return and touchdowns in both 2024 and 2025.
Caullin Lacy, WR, Louisville
Lacy might have more experience as both a kick and punt returner in his six-year college career than anyone else in the class. He led the Sun Belt in punt return yards in 2023 and the ACC in punt returns, punt return yards, yards per punt return and punts returned for a touchdown in 2025. All told, he fielded 86 punts for 936 yards (10.9 average) and three touchdowns while returning 34 kicks for 831 yards (24.4 average) and a touchdown.
Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor
Cameron is another player whom Las Vegas is keeping tabs on as a late-round receiver. But, as with all end-of-the-roster players, he'll have to make an impact on special teams. Cameron specializes as a punt returner, as he returned 45 punts for 632 yards in his final three years. He didn't take any back for a score, but he led the Big 12 in punt return yards in 2024 and led the country with an average of 20.7 yards per return that year as well. Flipping the field, even without scoring, is a huge benefit.
Barion Brown, WR, LSU
Brown is dynamite with the ball in his hands as a kick returner. He brought one back for a score in each of his four collegiate seasons, including three in 2023. All told, he returned 65 kicks in 50 career games for 1,910 yards (29.4 average) and six touchdowns. Brown led the country in kick return average and touchdowns in 2023, and led the SEC in kick return yards in 2025, as well as in kick return touchdowns in 2022, 2024 and 2025.
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