Panthers WR Jimmy Horn Jr. and Ravens WR LaJohntay Wester Detail Their Relationship With Deion Sanders

The rise of the Colorado Buffaloes football program has been incredible, and Deion Sanders played a major role in that.

Sanders took a team rooted to the bottom of college football and turned them into a program that every NFL team is watching. Jimmy Horn Jr. and LaJohntay Wester were drafted on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, with an opportunity to make a name for themselves in the NFL.

Colorado Buffaloes Back on Draft Boards in 2025 Thanks to Deion Sanders

Colorado hadn’t had a player drafted since 2021, when tackle Will Sherman was taken in the sixth round. He was the only player drafted by the program in the past four seasons.

Coach Prime has turned that program into a genuine opportunity for its players, with a national spotlight cast on them year-round.

The Hall of Famer has enlisted the help of several other NFL legends, further adding to the ever-growing draw of playing for Colorado. Warren Sapp is coaching on defense while Marshall Faulk coaches the running backs. Plus Byron Leftwich, Andre Hart, and Kevin Mathis.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Sanders and the coaches running the program, Colorado had four players drafted in the 2025 NFL draft.

• Travis Hunter: first round, second overall pick (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Shedeur Sanders: fifth round, 144th overall pick (Cleveland Browns)
• LaJohntay Wester: sixth round, 203rd overall pick (Baltimore Ravens)
• Jimmy Horn Jr.: sixth round, 208th overall pick (Carolina Panthers)

After Sanders was finally drafted in the fifth round, Colorado had two receivers go off the board within five picks of one another in round six.

Horn has a tremendous relationship with Coach Sanders, who has acted as a father figure for the wide receiver while with the program. The two have visited Horn’s father in prison together, and on senior day, Coach Prime walked out with his arm around the talented playmaker to show his support.

In the Buffaloes’ latest YouTube video, centered around the draft prospects, Horn spoke about his relationship with his coach: “Coach Prime did a lot of things for me behind closed doors that he didn’t have to do, you know, so I love him for that, for life.”

Wester has been through a lot in his life, and he too spoke of the opportunities that transferring to Colorado presented:

“My journey it was tough, filled with a lot of adversity, a lot of coaching changes. I wouldn’t change it for nothing. It really molded me into the player that I am today, and the man that I am today.”

The Next Step for the Colorado Receivers

Horn was drafted by the Panthers, who are looking to continue adding playmakers as they build around Bryce Young. Horn played over 94% of his college snaps out of the slot, amassing 1,973 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in his four-year career.

In Carolina, he’ll have an opportunity to play for head coach Dave Canales, who was a Super Bowl-winning wide receivers coach with the Seattle Seahawks, working with the likes of Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate, and Tyler Lockett.

Wester spent the first four seasons of his college career at FAU, having been a zero-star recruit coming out of high school. He had a breakout year in 2023 with a career-high 1,164 receiving yards and scored eight touchdowns. He then transferred to Colorado for the 2024 season.

Behind Hunter, Wester was the No. 2 guy. He transferred to prove he could be a role player in a high-volume offense, and it paid off. Wester caught 70 passes for 880 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his lone season with the Buffaloes.

He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, where he’ll have an opportunity to contribute on special teams early on. He may also see offensive reps as a backup to Zay Flowers, in a similar role.