The simple path for LaJohntay Wester would have been to stay at Florida Atlantic and put up monster numbers again in 2024.

Jimmy Horn Jr. could have gone the easy route, too, remaining at South Florida to continue his upward trajectory.

Both receivers bet on themselves, however, and took a chance on the upstart Colorado Buffaloes. Now, both are in position to potentially get their names called during the NFL Draft this weekend.

“It’s a dream come true, me just being here in this moment right now, coming from Palmetto, Fla.,” Wester said at CU’s pro day earlier this month. “It’s not a lot of people make it to this point. So me being here right now means everything, not just to me, but to my hometown as well.”

Going into this week’s draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday, receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders are both projected as first-round picks, but they are the only CU players who appear to be locks to hear their names called.

Several other Buffs are potential draft picks but may have to sweat through the final rounds. Horn and Wester, in particular, are intriguing because of their all-around ability, as well as the maturity gained during their time in Boulder.

Still, neither one is projected as a top prospect.

Horn is rated as the No. 30 receiver by CBS Sports, No. 31 by Pro Football Focus and No. 34 by ESPN. Wester is No. 36 by ESPN and PFF and No. 54 by CBS. In 2024, there were 35 receivers selected in the seven-round draft. There were 33 picked in 2023 and 28 in 2022.

Despite the rankings, Horn and Wester believe their time at Colorado got them ready for this step. Both got to not only catch passes from Sanders, but were mentored by CU head coach Deion Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback who played some receiver, as well.

“It’s good having a mentor like Coach Prime,” Horn said. “He teaches life lessons. Smart, tough, fast, disciplined with character. Those five characteristics in life will take you a long way, and just the lessons he teaches you is valuable, and it’s an asset to your life.”

Wester said of his one year at CU, “Coach Prime, he tested me, and that’s exactly what I wanted from him. He didn’t make it easy for me. I told him I wanted to be great day one, and he held me to that standard throughout the whole year to this day. It made me a better player, better man overall coming here.”

As players, Horn and Wester have similar profiles.

Horn, who caught 95 passes for 1,008 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons at CU — including an injury-plagued 2024 — is 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds with speed and shiftiness (he ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at pro day).

Wester, who caught 74 passes for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, is just over 5-9 and 170 pounds.

He posted a 4.5 in the 40 at pro day.

Although highly productive as receivers, both realize that special teams could be their ticket to the NFL.

“That was my first mindset, like, whatever I got to do,” said Horn, who returned punts and kickoffs at CU and had a kickoff return for touchdown in 2022 at USF. “Special teams, that’s second nature to me, too. I love doing it, so it ain’t no problem with me.”

In addition to ranking second in the country with 108 receptions at FAU in 2023, Wester earned All-American honors as a punt returner. He returned two punts for scores in his career, including one for CU in 2024.

“I know special teams is how I’m gonna get my foot in the door, but I know once I get my foot in the door, receiver is going to be something as well,” he said.

As both gear up for the draft, they also are grateful for their journeys, which weren’t always easy.

“A lot of adversity,” Wester said. “It was always something negative: ‘He’s too small, he’s not fast enough; can’t play this position, that position.’ So I mean me going through that at an early age, it really prepared me for these moments now. The critics turn me up, the haters turn me up. It’s like building a fire. My journey has been crazy, been a rocky one, but it’s all gonna pay off at the end.”

Horn believes so, too, as he has gone through ups and downs while never losing sight of the goal he set years ago when he got the NFL logo tattooed on his left arm.

“I got it tatted for a reason, because I manifest it,” he said.

“When I got that tattoo, I already knew that I was destined to make it. I got a different mindset.”