The Ravens selected wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane out of USC with their third-round pick (No. 80) in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here are five things to know about Lane:
He's an athletic 'ball of clay.'
The Ravens wanted to diversify their wide receiver room and they certainly did that with Lane.
He stands in at 6-foot-4, 208 pounds, which will make him the biggest wide receiver on the Ravens' roster by far, slotting alongside top three receivers Zay Flowers (5-foot-9), Rashod Bateman (6-foot-1), Devontez Walker (6-foot-1), and LaJohntay Wester (5-foot-9).
Those measurables give Lane a unique ability to make contested catches. He has a huge large catch radius with a ridiculous 40-inch vertical leap and 10 1/2-inch hands, the biggest hands of any wide receiver in this year's draft class.
That means he often needs just one hand to haul in passes. Lane has a highlight reel full of them.
Lane pairs his great size with a 40-yard dash time of 4.47 seconds. While he had trouble creating separation at times in college, he has the speed to do so with more refinement in the NFL. Either way, he should be able to make contested catches.
General Manager Eric DeCosta called Lane a "ball of clay with a lot of upside."
He'll help in the red zone.
The Ravens struggled in the red zone last season, scoring touchdowns on just 47.5% of their trips despite a rushing pairing with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson.
Lane had a whopping 12 touchdowns in 2024. Only four wide receivers in the FBS scored more. Of his 16 touchdown catches over the past two seasons, 11 came in the red zone.
With his height, hands, and vertical jump, Lane will give the Ravens a jump-ball threat that should help them deep in scoring position. He said his favorite route is a fade.
"I think I am a great wide receiver that has a lot of traits besides the 'jump ball,' and I am excited to be able to show that and bring that to Baltimore, as well as a bunch of other traits," Lane said. "But as soon as that ball is in the air, you can guarantee it's coming down with me."
He can take over a game.
Lane's best game may have been in the Las Vegas Bowl to cap his big 2024 season.
He caught seven passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns from 30, 17, and 15 yards out, earning MVP honors.
Lane played alongside Makai Lemon, who the Philadelphia Eagles selected in the first round. While Lemon took many of the Trojans' targets, Lane was the clear No. 2 with 745 receiving yards in 2025 and 525 yards in 2024.
Todd Heap was one of his coaches and mentors.
Lane attended Red Mountain High School outside of Phoenix, just down the street from where former Ravens tight end Todd Heap played his prep ball.
Heap was an assistant coach at Red Mountain and mentored Lane. He also helped the wide receiver through the recruiting process.
Lane has another advocate in the building in Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Prentice Gill, who coached wide receivers at USC and has deep connections with the program. Lane said Gill was party of his recruitment.
The Ravens have selected USC wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane with the 80th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He also got the endorsement of Steve Smith Sr., Torrey Smith and Dez Bryant.
Heap isn't the only Ravens legend who gave Lane the thumb's up.
Steve Smith Sr. studies every wide receiver class and vouched for Lane before the draft kicked off.
"I think he's a really good football player. He brings a lot of height," Smith Sr. said. "His ability to catch the football wherever it's thrown makes him such an attractive and unique draft pick."
Torrey Smith also showed his support after the Ravens make the pick and Dez Bryant had Lane ranked as his No. 3 wideout in this year's class, ahead of teammate and first-round pick Makai Lemon.
"I've had a couple other players reach out tonight about the picks, a couple of guys that know some of our guys," DeCosta said. "That does carry weight, because those guys have played here, and we know that all those guys want to see the Ravens – the legends – they want to see us do well. So, when they endorse a player, that carries a lot of weight."
