Top 10 Returners in the 2025 NFL Draft

Back by popular demand, we’ve got another returner-related article. This one is a little different though, as we’re focusing on the top 10 returners in the 2025 NFL Draft, not established pros. Returners are more important than ever under the new kickoff rules the NFL implemented in 2024, and they’ve recently been adjusted to encourage more returns. Field position is critical, and it’s always nicer to start a drive at the 35 than at the 25. These players will help teams do just that, so let’s meet them!

For this list, I’m only looking at players who had returning experience in college. An NFL team could use another player as a returner come training camp, but there’s no way to know how they’ll perform if they’ve never filled that role. We’ve only got one first-round prospect this year. However, that just means that all 32 teams will have chances at plenty of these great returners. The bulk of them are receivers, but they all have speed and/or shiftiness. See the full list (starting with the #1 prospect) below!

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1. WR/PR Courtney Jackson, Arkansas State

When I analyzed all the returns across the college football landscape, the #1 choice became very clear. Jackson returned just 9 punts over 4 years at Syracuse, but his talent shined when he took one to the house. In two years at Arkansas State, he housed three more punt returns. His magnum opus came in 2024, when he led the Sun Belt and all draftable players in PR average (18.5) and total return yards (277). As a prospect, Jackson is a probable UDFA because he isn’t highly regarded as a receiver. I’d still consider spending a late-round pick on him to take advantage of his electrifying return capabilities.

2. RB/KR Jacquez Stuart, Toledo

I’m on record saying that RBs are poised to prosper under the new kickoff format. Here’s a prime example. As a 6-year part-time offensive starter in the draft, Stuart is unlikely to be selected in Green Bay later this week. However, he led his conference and all players in the draft in KR average (32.7). In fact, Stuart led his conference in that stat 3 second years thanks to 3 return TDs. He uses his 5’9″, 180-lb build like a wrecking ball, bouncing off tacklers to create lanes. That will be an asset when he has to navigate through traffic before bursting ahead under the new kickoff format. Give him a chance, and he could thrive.

3. WR/PR Tory Horton, Colorado State

Having played in only 6 games last year due to injury, Horton might not be on the minds of fans at the moment. Allow me to change that. While still injured, Horton ran a 4.41-s 40-yard dash at the Combine at 6’2″. That checks out given that he had a PR touchdown each of the past 3 years. In 2024, he managed to score despite returning just 4 punts. Acquiring Horton will cost more draft capital than our top two because he has two 1000-yard receiving seasons on his resume. His skills as a deep threat translate really well to the return game, where his suddenness and explosion can be put to great use.

4. WR/PR/KR Taylor Morin, Wake Forest

Morin is interesting in that he is the only one on list with a bit of experience in both kick returns and punt returns. Thus, it may not surprise you to learn that he has more career returns than anyone else featured here (86). He led the ACC with 17 yards per punt return last year, buoyed by his first return TD. Morin’s sample size is much smaller for kick returns (10), but he looked solid there. Expected to go undrafted despite nearly 3000 career receiving yards, Morin is the type of slot receiver that you typically see on this list. He’s quicker than fast but has good vision in space, so he can be an asset as a returner.

5. WR/KR Matthew Golden, Texas

Another Texas WR with blazing speed, Golden is only ranked this low because his pro team might not want to risk the potential first-rounder on returns. His 4.29-s 40 time was the best among offensive players at the Combine, and that has caused his draft stock to explode. Those of us who watched him return kicks for Houston in 2023 already knew this. On just 9 returns, Golden took 2 for TDs. He didn’t fare quite as well in his lone year with the Longhorns, but that may also be due to his increased offensive role. Speed can’t be taught, and that skill could have Golden dashing for scores if his pro team allows it.

6. FS/KR Donovan “DK” Kaufman, NC State

Our only defensive player on this list, Kaufman spent a year at Vanderbilt and 3 at Auburn before finally becoming a full-time kick returner at NC State. As a result, he has a fairly small sample size, but he really burst onto the scene. Kaufman took 15 returns for an ACC-leading 469 yards, but he didn’t have any TDs, which means that he was consistently efficient. His 31.3-yard returning average was 2nd among draft prospects and 1st in the ACC. Unfortunately, his 5’9″ stature won’t likely cut it in the NFL at safety. Hence, his only real route to make a roster is to wow a team as an undrafted return specialist.

7. WR/PR LaJohntay Wester, Colorado

While Wester once returned kicks, he only had 3 attempts in the past two years, so I’m not considering that. His experience as a punt returner is far more extensive, as he has returned 66 of them at Colorado and FAU. Wester also returned a punt for a TD in each of the past two seasons. He’s very slight at just 163 pounds, so he probably can’t take the punishment of being a slot receiver in the NFL. However, with his size comes excellent quickness, which is exactly what is needed for returning. With that skill, he makes people miss at a high rate. That in turn increases the floor for each of his runbacks.

8. RB/KR Brashard Smith, SMU

Smith is among the most experienced kick returners in this class. Over 3 seasons at Miami and his 2024 campaign with SMU, he returned 53 kicks. In 2023, his 579 yards and 29 yards-per-return average both led the ACC. He also scored his only return TD that year. Curiously, Smith wasn’t quite as exceptional in 2024, but he has enough on his resume to make me a believer. I can also envision him being better in the NFL than he was in college due to the change in kickoff format. As a current RB and a former WR, he brings the best of both worlds. Smith can probably be had in the 4th round as a third-down back and returner.

9. RB/KR Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech

Being a running back is already a plus in today’s NFL return game. Tuten gets extra points for being the fastest RB in the class (4.32-s 40 time). I don’t have much information about his two years with North Carolina A&T, and he only returned 3 kicks in 2024. However, his 2023 production makes me giddy over his potential. Tuten returned 2 kicks for punts that season and averaged a robust 28.9 yards per return. He reminds me a bit of Cowboys All-Pro KaVontae Turpin (with a thicker build but the same height). That supreme explosiveness projects very well to the NFL, and he shouldn’t cost more than a day-3 pick.

10. WR/KR Elijhah Badger, Florida

Like Bhayshul Tuten above, Badger did not return kicks in 2024 and only did so full-time for 1 year (2023). Also like Tuten, he impressed during that campaign. With Arizona State at the time, Badger led the now-defunct Pac-12 with 578 return yards and 28.9 yards per attempt. He didn’t have any TDs, meaning that he truly provided that much yardage every time. Badger is a solid possession receiver who is fast enough (4.43-s 40 time) to make people miss. For a late day-3 pick (or a UDFA signing), a team would be getting a developmental WR prospect who could slot in as a KR on day one.