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USA Today
18-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens' sixth-round pick may be the best addition NFL experts are ignoring
Ravens' sixth-round pick may be the best addition NFL experts are ignoring Ravens' sixth-round pick LaJohntay Wester could be the biggest steal of the 2025 NFL Draft. The NFL Draft has been described as a selection meeting, a crap shoot, and an inexact science. Truthfully, it's all of those things. The Baltimore Ravens spend an entire year preparing for the next one once the current version wraps. No one knows for certain how prospects will turn out. One never knows if a first-rounder is a 'bust' or a late-rounder is a 'steal'. Heat must be applied to find an answer, and once the kettle is turned up, that heat forges lumps of coal into diamonds. Or, at least, that's what the drafting team is hoping. Every coin has two sides. Winning and losing come draft time with a prospect can, at times, feel like flipping one. We've learned as we have grown. Heat and pressure can also burst pipes, and when it comes to surviving in the NFL, these young draftees would certainly rather be a diamond. The good news for Ravens fans is as follows. Baltimore has traditionally been one of pro football's top drafting teams. The 2025 class is an exciting bunch, featuring a star in the making (Malaki Starks) and possibly the best late-round pick that no one is discussing. Ravens fans and the Baltimore media will want to familiarize themselves with LaJohntay Wester immediately Expectations are a part of the draft-day experience. First and second-rounders are expected to contribute immediately or, as a worst-case scenario, they are expected to sit early and develop into starters later. The mid-round prospects are often where the meat of a roster is built. Talent is hopefully found at bargain prices. Once teams reach Day 3, Round 6 and 7 in particular, the hope is that the drafting team gets lucky and finds the aforementioned steal. The Baltimore Ravens may have found one. Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on LaJohntay Wester, and jot his name down if you haven't already done so. The general public probably best knows Wester for his single season in Colorado. He played for the Buffaloes under 'Coach Prime', Deion Sanders, but it was his previous season with the Florida Atlantic Owls that put him on the NCAA's radar. He led the American Athletic Conference with 108 receptions, 1,168 yards receiving, en route to eight receiving TDs. He also led the AAC with 278 punt return yards, a 19.9 yards-per-return average, and a punt return TD. For his efforts, he was named AAC Special Teams Player of the Year, a First-team All-AAC nod, and a 2023 First-Team All-American. Competition matters. Some saw Wester's achievements as the product of playing in a lesser conference vs. lesser competition. By stepping up his game and joining the Big 12 Conference, he proved he could still flourish, stacking 74 receptions, 931 yards receiving. and ten TDs in 13 games. Wester fielded nine punts for Colorado last season. The results of those efforts were 108 return yards and another score. Baltimore selected him 203rd overall during Round 6 of last year's draft. The hope is that his skill set will translate. Fear not. There is a good chance that it will. Wester proved he can be an early contributor during OTAs. He worked on fielding punts. He has taken snaps at wide receiver, becoming a fan favorite. Ravens running backs coach Willie Taggart was FAU's head coach from 2020-22. There, he mentored Wester for three seasons. Wouldn't you know it? Chuck Pagano's return isn't the only Ravens reunion that fans and the media will have an opportunity to fawn over. OTAs brought a lot of padless work in shorts, so it's hard to diagnose what should be gauged by what was presented there. It doesn't seem like Wester has much competition for a punt returner's role, so if he continues to prove himself, that may provide some early opportunities to make a name for himself and battle on Baltimore's roster as a special-teams player. From there, we'll see what happens. He's off to a good start. If he keeps this up, he figures to earn a spot on the roster and potentially contribute early.
USA Today
14-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Baltimore Ravens rookie LaJohntay Wester receiving one-on-one coaching from John Harbaugh
AI-assisted summary Former Colorado wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, a sixth-round NFL draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens, is impressing coaches with his special-teams play. Wester has been working closely with Ravens head coach John Harbaugh on improving his punt return skills during OTAs and minicamp. While primarily drafted for special teams, Wester's performance and coaching interactions could lead to a larger offensive role. Wester's impressive punt return statistics at Florida Atlantic earned him the AAC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023. While most eyes have been on former Colorado stars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter through the NFL's offseason programs, a few Buffs have gone under the radar, including the speedy receiver LaJohntay Wester. Wester was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft and is expected to be an immediate playmaker on special teams, making his transition to the pros promising. With this combination of size and explosiveness, along with his toughness, Wester has been turning heads throughout OTAs and minicamp, even getting some one-on-one coaching from Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh. Harbaugh was spotted giving some advice to Wester that should help tune his return skills. The two spoke during drills, with Harbaugh coaching Wester on ball-tracking skills and drills he can use to improve his technique. Wester went on to implement those drills, improving with each punt he caught. In his lone season at Colorado, Wester had nine punt returns, with a 76-yard return against Utah, and averaged 12 yards per return. In his time with Florida Atlantic, however, he had carved out a role as a special teamer, returning 14 punts for 278 yards and one touchdown in 2023, earning him the American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year. Though he is pegged as a special-teams contributor, his performance and rapport with Harbaugh could give him a broader role. Wester will still need to prove himself on Baltimore's special teams, especially as a sixth-round pick, to gain a larger role on the Ravens' offense. However, showing out during the offseason is a step in the right direction. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle With training camp around the corner, Wester has laid a strong foundation. While nothing is guaranteed, his willingness to learn and apply feedback from Harbaugh speaks volumes to his character. Contact/Follow us@BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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." Advertisement 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
