Latest news with #Wester
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Todd McShay sparks major buzz regarding Baltimore Ravens rookie
When you're the smallest guy in the room, you better be the toughest. That's exactly the attitude LaJohntay Wester is bringing to Baltimore — and ESPN's Todd McShay says NFL fans, especially Colorado Buffaloes faithful, shouldn't underestimate what he can become. Wester, a sixth-round pick (No. 203 overall) by the Ravens, stands just 5'10' and 163 pounds. But McShay isn't concerned. In fact, while speaking on his own podcast, The McShay Show, he let it be known he's bullish on Wester's NFL chances. 'He's a tough little nugget, man,' McShay said. 'This guy's going to get in there with the Ravens receiver room… and he's going to look around and be like, 'Hey, I can play on this team.'' Ravens fans may not know him yet, but Colorado certainly does. After transferring from Florida Atlantic — where he posted 108 receptions in 2023 (second-most in the FBS) — Wester quickly became one of Coach Prime's most trusted weapons. In his lone season in Boulder, Wester logged 74 receptions for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging nearly 13 yards per catch. Advertisement While much of the national spotlight stayed on Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, McShay saw something different. 'If they were double teaming or rolling coverage to Travis Hunter, [Wester] showed up,' he said. 'He's been doing it for a while. Just nobody knew about it.' Baltimore's wide receiver room is crowded — but not impenetrable. Zay Flowers is locked in. Rashod Bateman has battled injuries. DeAndre Hopkins is 32 and nearing the end of his career. The fourth-leading wideout in receptions last year? Tylen Wallace — with just 10 catches. Colorado Buffalos wide receiver LaJohntay Wester (10) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium.© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images McShay made it clear: there's a role Wester can claim. He's quicker than fast, slippery in space, and built for big moments in small windows. And in an offense designed for creative mismatches, he might be exactly what Lamar Jackson didn't know he needed. Advertisement Buffs fans watched Wester shine when it mattered most. Now, with the Ravens looking for production beyond their stars, it might be time for the rest of the league to finally notice. Related: Shedeur Sanders' shows true colors at Browns minicamp Related: Real reason Shilo Sanders signed with Tampa Bay Buccaneers revealed
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
USA Today
05-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Colorado receiver believes Shedeur Sanders will win the Browns quarterback battle
Former Colorado receiver believes Shedeur Sanders will win the Browns quarterback battle Shedeur Sanders' NFL draft slide shocked everyone in the sports world, including his former Colorado teammates. Former Buffs wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, who the Baltimore Ravens selected in the sixth round, spoke to Ryan Mink of about his teammate's slide. "I was disappointed that they did him like that," Wester said. "I know Shedeur is going to get in the lab. He's going to work hard and he's going to win that job in Cleveland." Whether Sanders can win the quarterback battle in Cleveland remains to be seen, as the Browns have three other quarterbacks competing for the starting role this summer. Talent-wise, it would seem Sanders might have an upper hand over fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel and veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. Wester only played one season with Sanders, but the duo formed a dominant combination. The 5-foot-9 receiver racked up 931 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, both second on the team behind Travis Hunter. Wester and Sanders will now compete against each other in the AFC North when the Browns and the Ravens face off twice a year. Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads, and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
NBC Sports
05-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Ravens' LaJohntay Wester predicts Colorado teammate Shedeur Sanders will start for Browns
The Ravens took Colorado wide receiver LaJohntay Wester in the sixth round of the draft, and he was happy to hear his name called on Day Three. But he wasn't happy that his college quarterback had to wait until Day Three to hear his name called as well. Wester said his teammate Shedeur Sanders should have been picked far earlier than the fifth round, and he's confident Sanders is going to make a whole lot of teams regret passing on him when he becomes the Browns' starting quarterback. 'I was disappointed that they did him like that,' Wester said, via the Ravens' website. 'I know Shedeur is going to get in the lab. He's going to work hard and he's going to win that job in Cleveland.' Wester is best known for catching a Hail Mary from Sanders to force overtime in a win over Baylor last season, but he said he didn't do anything he doesn't expect to do every time he takes the field. '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.' Wester is confident he's going to make a big impact in Baltimore. And that he'll be facing off against Sanders twice a season for years to come.
Newsweek
01-05-2025
- Newsweek
Frequent Flyer Mom Reveals Best—and Worst—Ages To Take Kids On Planes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A frequent flyer mom has revealed the best and worst ages to take young kids on planes. Paige Wester, 32, is originally from Michigan but moved to the UK in the autumn of 2021, settling in the city of Newcastle with her husband and their two-and-a-half-year-old son Rory. In the years since Rory's birth, Wester estimates she has flown "maybe 15 times or so" with their young son. "With being from the U.S. all my family are based over there so we're fortunate enough to visit them a couple of times a year," Wester told Newsweek. "Additionally, we get to travel in Europe quite a bit too so the flights quickly rack up." It's proven to be an invaluable experience. The topic of young kids on planes is a divisive one among Americans today. In 2023, a Newsweek poll of 1,500 U.S. adults found 59 percent of respondents agree that a child-free zone on planes and trains would be a positive thing. Paige Wester traveling with her son Rory. Paige Wester traveling with her son Rory. TikTok/p_west_ Some parents on flights agonize over the idea of their young child causing midair disruption. Wester has developed something of a thick skin to that kind of criticism. Asked what her number one piece of advice for anyone traveling with a young child is, her response is simple: "Don't stress about what other people think." "Chances are, you'll never see the people on your flight again so if things go sideways, it's not the end of the world," she said. "Be considerate, of course, but worrying too much only makes it harder on you." Wester does have some wisdom to share when it comes to flying with young kids. In a video posted to her TikTok, @p_west_ she shared what, from her experience, were the best and worst ages to fly with her son. The video saw her rank 7-months-old as the easiest age of child to fly with, based on her own experience. "I think, generally, the younger they are the better," she said. "Infants really only cry when they are hungry or tired so it's pretty easy to figure out what the issue is and of course they don't want to move around as much as a 2 year old!" On the flip side, however, Wester seemed to warn about traveling with a two-year-old, which she ranked as the hardest age from her own flight experience. "2 is so hard because they are so unpredictable and you can't really reason with them when they are that age," she said. "It's hard to keep them confined to a small space when they don't quite understand why they're packed onto a plane. Also toddlers can have a tantrum at any moment for no reason and there isn't much you can do to stop it happening!" Ultimately though, Wester believes it's important for parents to be kind to themselves when traveling on a plane with a young child. "Parents worry too much about what other people think," she said. "Your kids are out of their normal routine, of course they might act out, get cranky, or feel overstimulated. That's normal. Don't stress if it happens. As long as you're doing your best and being considerate, like not letting your child repeatedly kick the seat in front of them, it's okay."
