Ravens 167-Pound Rookie Poised to Make Immediate Impact
The Baltimore Ravens didn't have a lot of glaring needs in the draft coming off an impressive 12-5 campaign that saw them win the competitive AFC North.
But an apparent shortcoming in the kick return game in the saw general manager Eric DeCosta address special teams in Green Bay at the 2025 NFL Draft.
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DeCosta and the Ravens took Colorado wideout and kick returner LaJohntay Wester in the sixth round with the No. 203 overall pick after the team ranked 16th in the league with just a 9.7-yard average punt return across four different players used.
Wester told reporters he takes his return game as seriously as he takes pass receiving.
"I kind of took it serious then, and I got comfortable with it, took it with the same seriousness as I take receiving," Wester said per the Ravens' website. "In Little League, I always had the quickness, the moves. I just got bigger, stronger, faster, more confident. Now, I'm putting it all together now for the big-time league."
Wester showed a proficiency for returning punts with 23 returns for 386 yards and two touchdowns. That's an average of 16.8 yards per try.
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He was named AAC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023 at Florida Atlantic before transferring to the Big 12 and the Buffaloes.
"At the end of the day, in my eyes, it was just me making a play," Wester said. "To other people, it was a clutch play. And they probably would never imagine a guy like me, a small guy, to be able to make a big-time play like that. But to me, it's nothing new. I'm very confident in my game."
Like most draftees, it was a dream come true when he heard his name called in Green Bay.
"When I got that call, man, all I could say is, 'L.J., we on the way,'" Wester said. "I couldn't have been drafted to a better situation. I'm just overly blessed to be in this position and be here in Baltimore."
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Last season at Colorado, Wester averaged 12.2 yards per punt return, including a 76-yard touchdown. That's something the Ravens need regularly if they expect to compete again for the top spot in the AFC postseason in 2025.
Related: Ravens Trade for $97 Million Backup in Risky Prediction
Related: Ravens Announcement on Tucker Move Condemned By ESPN
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