Jamie Gatlin, Longhorns WireWed, November 26, 2025 at 3:01 PM UTC·2 min readDuring the 2025 campaign, Ryan Niblett has been an important part of the Longhorns' success. The talented Swiss army knife has been a human highlight reel due to his speed and ability to elude defenders. On Monday, the Texas native was named one of five finalists for the Jet Award. The award honors the nation's top return specialist.
Through ten games, the Eisenhower Grad leads the SEC and ranks second in the FBS in punt return average. He ranks second in the SEC in punt return touchdowns with two. The Longhorns' star also leads the conference in combined kick return yards with 595. With Niblett returning kicks, Texas is not an easy team to plan against.
While the Longhorns' sophomore has an impressive resume, he does have competition. The other finalists are Louisville's Caullin Lacy, Notre Dame's Jadarian Price, South Carolina's Vicari Swain, and Iowa's Kaden Wetjen. While each is deserving, Niblett has set himself apart on a weekly basis.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNiblett began his run for the Jet award against Oklahoma when he recorded the first punt return touchdown of his career. It was his first of his two touchdowns of the day. He followed that up by returning a pair of punts for 88 yards against Kentucky. A few weeks later, Niblett shined against Mississippi State, recording a career-high 104 punt return yards, including a 79-yard punt return touchdown.
With only one game left in the regular season, Niblett will have a chance to improve his case on Friday night when the Longhorns take on Texas A&M. Another stellar performance could go a long way in ensuring that he ends the season with some hardware. The winner will be revealed at the Jet Award Gala in April.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas Football's Ryan Niblett is in the running for the Jet Award
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