Colorado’s nine-win season belonged to Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter in the headlines, but wide receiver LaJohntay Wester was equally crucial to the Buffaloes’ offensive success. He spent just one season with the Buffs, and during that short time, he left a lasting impression during games and practice sessions against Shedeur’s brother, Shilo Sanders.
Shilo, a former Colorado safety, now plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and recently praised his former teammate. According to the current Bucs defender, Wester was the toughest receiver to guard.
Why Does Shilo Sanders Consider LaJohntay Wester the Toughest Receiver to Guard?
Last season, Wester was Colorado’s second-leading receiver with 931 yards and 10 touchdowns, trailing only Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Wester also returned nine punts for an average of 12 yards.
While Wester hasn’t faced Shilo much in real games, they did face off as teammates during the practices at Colorado, and the Bucs’ safety suggested he was the toughest receiver to guard for him.
“I always wanna go against LaJohntay, cause if you can LaJohntay, you can guard anyone…Jonhtay is a little smaller (than Jimmy Horn Jr.), so it’s going to be a little harder to guard him,” he said.
Shilo Sanders says LaJohntay Wester was the toughest receiver to go against in practice at Colorado:
“If you can guard LaJohntay, you can guard anyone.”💯 pic.twitter.com/XN6rUlPwsP
— GUCCE🦬🐦⬛ (@gucceCU) July 15, 2025
Wester stands at just 5’11” and was selected 203rd overall by the Ravens, five picks before Jimmy Horn Jr. went to the Carolina Panthers. He may be undersized, but as a sudden receiver who runs excellent routes, he is very hard to guard, as Shilo pointed out.
What Makes LaJohntay Wester So Difficult to Cover?
Wester primarily played in the slot but was often moved around the formation to create favorable mismatches. He was very productive as a sophomore and a junior at Florida Atlantic.
As a senior in 2023, Wester became the school’s all-time leading receiver and was named first-team All-AAC and All-American after crossing 1,000 receiving yards.
The 23-year-old creates excellent separation at the top of the route and displays good start-stop quickness to snap off routes at the breakpoint, leaving his defender stumbling to gather their footing.
Todd McShay on #Ravens rookie LaJohntay Wester:
“He’s gonna get in there with the Ravens’ receiver room. … Wester’s gonna look around and be like ‘hey, I can play on this team…I can f**king play on this team.” I’m telling you he can. He’s gonna get his shot.”
via… pic.twitter.com/oje3tRP2fM
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) May 12, 2025
Wester was outstanding as an underneath option, and Colorado used him a ton on screens and bubbles to get the ball into his hands. He is dynamic after the catch.
Additionally, Wester can also win vertically down the field and was above average overall with his hands and body control to track the football. He has recently built up a rapport with Lamar Jackson during the offseason, hauling in a long reception and a touchdown from the two-time MVP during the OTAs.
If things continue like that during training camp, Wester has a decent chance of starting in 2025. The Ravens don’t have an imposing wide receiver room, and Wester’s services will be of high value if he can continue to grow.
