LaJohntay Wester knows a thing or two about being in the spotlight.
With a national TV audience watching and two seconds left in a dogfight between Colorado and Baylor, Wester lined up for a Hail Mary. He knew Baylor wasn't going to let Travis Hunter catch the ball. They probably weren't counting on the Buffs' 5-foot-9 receiver to come up big.
Wester shook off a defender to make a miraculous diving touchdown catch as time expired to force overtime in a game that Colorado eventually won. It was his signature moment, but one that didn't surprise Wester.
"At the end of the day, in my eyes, it was just me making a play," Wester said Sunday at Ravens rookie minicamp. "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."
Even though he's a sixth-round pick, Wester could be put in the spotlight as a Ravens rookie as the team's primary punt returner. It's a unique job – one that requires a calm demeanor, confidence, and of course, elusiveness.
Those are the traits Wester exudes, and why he was Senior Special Teams Coach Randy Brown's favorite returner in the draft.
Growing up in Palmetto, Fla., just south of Tampa, Wester was the kid on the playground who nobody could touch. However, he was told coming out of high school that with his smaller size, he was going to have to make a mark on special teams to realize his NFL dreams.
"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 of returning punts. "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 averaged nearly 16 yards per punt return and scored two touchdowns over his final two college seasons at Florida Atlantic and Colorado. He looks at ease fielding the ball, then has the speed and shiftiness to make tacklers miss and explode up the field.
The Ravens had some unsteady moments on punt returners down the stretch last season and are looking for Wester to grab the job by the horns like he did for the Buffaloes.
Wester also feels like he can contribute as a receiver after racking up the sixth-most catches in FBS history (326) during his five-year career. His 931 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last year were the second-most on the team behind Hunter. Wester became one of Shedeur Sanders' trusted guys in their first year together.
Like everyone else, Wester was surprised to see Sanders last until the fifth round of the NFL Draft, when the Cleveland Browns selected him as their second rookie quarterback.
"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."
The disappointment ended one round later when Wester found out he's going to play for the Browns' rival, catching passes from Lamar Jackson, a fellow Floridian playmaker who Wester looked up to as a kid.
"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."
