Draft Analyst: Ravens Late-Round WR Can Be Impact Player

Throughout his rookie season with the Baltimore Ravens, LaJohntay Wester wants to prove himself as more than just a return specialist.

Wester, a sixth-round pick out of Colorado, seems to be the leading candidate to be the Ravens' primary punt returner, just as he was in college. However, he was also a very solid receiver in college, racking up over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns over his final two seasons. With 326 receptions over his collegiate career, he ranks fifth among FBS players all-time.

The Ringer draft analyst Todd McShay believes Wester could play a similar role in Baltimore, competing for the team's No. 4 receiver role behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins.

"Wester's a tough little nugget," McShay said on "The McShay Show." "I'm telling you he's going to get in the Ravens' receiving room and be like, 'Hey, I can play on this team.' I'm telling you he can. He's going to get his shot."

Wester's main competition for the job comes in the form of Tylan Wallace, a similarly versatile player who just re-signed with the Ravens this offseason, and Devontez Walker, a 2024 fourth-round pick who saw some success late in the season.

The main knock on Wester is his size, or lack thereof. At only 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, he'd likely be the smallest player on the field at any given time. However, McSHay believes he can punch well above his weight class.

"[Colorado] had bigger guys, they had faster guys. It was always Wester, though, getting the tough yards in a pinch," McShay said. "If they were double-teaming or rolling coverage to Travis Hunter, he showed up. And he's been doing it for a while, just nobody knew about it."