

The Colorado-to-NFL pipeline was on full display this preseason. Shedeur Sanders looked calm and clinical in Carolina. Travis Hunterflashed the same all-field versatility that made him a college star. And in Baltimore, one of Coach Prime’s less-hyped playmakers reminded everyone that “underrated” is just a label until you get the ball in your hands.
LaJohntay Wester didn’t just debut for the Ravens-he announced himself. Before anyone had time to check the roster sheet for his number, he ripped off a 17-yard punt return. Then, late in the first quarter against the Colts, he brought M&T Bank Stadium to its feet. An 83-yard punt return touchdown, weaving through defenders like the field was tilted in his favor. Just three returns totaled 104 yards, plus two catches for 41 more.
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That’s the kind of game that makes coaches stay late in the film room. Baltimore’s wide receiver room is already crowded-DeAndre Hopkins, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman-but Wester’s open-field vision and acceleration make him different. In the NFL, special teams can be a golden ticket, and he just punched his.
When he talks about how he got here, Wester doesn’t start with the return or the catches. He starts with Deion Sanders. Speaking with Carita Parks, Wester recalled the first time he saw what Sanders was building: “I’m like, man, I want to be a part of that. Just having a head coach with that type of swag… he pushed me day in and day out. That’s my dog.”
That bond goes deeper than football. Sanders has been open about his health struggles in recent years, undergoing surgeries to address blood clots. Wester says he hasn’t spoken with him since, but he’s kept him in his prayers: “You see him back on his feet, back better. Hopefully, Lord’s willing, he stay healthy.”
It’s a reminder that the connection between players and their college coach doesn’t end at the draft. And for Sanders, whose magnetic presence has helped bring attention to Colorado’s program, having a rookie like Wester publicly show that respect is no small thing.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=B6G7Y5nmZZw&si=1
Inside the Ravens’ facility, the hype is real. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken likes what he’s seeing, calling Wester “a heck of a weapon” who can slot in seamlessly if the team needs a spark. That flexibility-playing offense, returning kicks, stepping in for injured starters-makes Wester the kind of player Baltimore has always found a way to use.
For now, the rookie is just stacking days, stacking plays, and keeping his head down. But that 83-yard lightning bolt in the preseason? That wasn’t luck. That was a preview.
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