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Here’s part of an interview Jaylin Lane did with the Draft Network ahead of the Senior Bowl back in January:
What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Jaylin Lane: It’s obviously a very prestigious game. The top draft-eligible athletes around the country are going to be in attendance. I didn’t want to miss my opportunity to showcase what I can do. I’m very thankful. This is very exciting.
I’m excited to prove that I’m a dual-threat guy. I can get open versus man and zone coverage, whatever the case may be. I can be a difference-maker on special teams as well. I’m an all-around athlete. I’m ready to showcase my speed.
I’m incredibly fast and explosive. I can get open versus whichever coverage is thrown my way. I can play slot receiver or outside. I can be a huge asset on special teams as the return guy. I have some highlights in coverage on special teams as well.
JM: Do you see yourself returning kicks and punts in the NFL? You’re so explosive.
Jaylin Lane: I definitely do. I can change the game as a kickoff and punt returner. I can flip the field. I can even play gunner on special teams. I love being a special teams guy.
JM: You can play outside and the slot, as you said. Do you maybe see the slot receiver role being your main fit at the next level?
Jaylin Lane: Yeah, I can definitely see that being the case. Smaller receivers like Cooper Kupp and guys like that, they’ve changed the math a little bit at receiver. You have smaller slot guys that are shifty and use their speed to get open.
That’s how we’re creating mismatch problems nowadays. I could see myself doing that.
JM: Would you compare yourself to any receivers in the league right now? Who do you enjoy watching and learning from?
Jaylin Lane: I always feel weird doing this. It feels a little disrespectful because those guys have proven themselves at the next level. I don’t know. I love watching Terry McLaurin right now. He’s very explosive and he knows how to get open. He has great hands, he makes great contested plays. I would love to play the game like him.
I find that final comment about Lane modeling his game on Terry McLaurin especially intriguing. Remember that this is a January interview, so Lane did not know that he would be McLaurin’s teammate in 2025.
He certainly shares some traits with Scary Terry.
Speed & Athleticism
Draft prospects seem to get more athletic every year, and the 2025 class was no different. Though there were other receivers who got more attention from analysts, not many of them performed better than Lane at the combine
Lane received the 14th-highest Relative Athletic Score (RAS) among receivers, but that doesn’t fully speak to how impressive he was in Indianapolis. He had a 4.34 40-yard dash; a 40-inch vertical; an 11-foot broad jump; a 6.75 three-cone drill; and a 4.12 20-yard shuttle.
All those numbers ranked in the top three for wideouts. Although he’ll need to hone his skill set at the professional level, he certainly possesses the athletic traits to have a successful career.
“Everybody in the building wanted to draft Jaylin Lane..
He’s incredible and we feel really good about him”
Adam Peters #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/gbwJk2yQwe
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 6, 2025
Special Teams skills
Because of the tremendous success McLaurin has had in the NFL, many people tend to forget that the Redskins were focused on Terry’s special teams skills when they drafted him in the 3rd round in 2019.
Of course, Terry was a gunner; while Jaylin Lane also lines up as a gunner, he is highly regarded as a returner — the guy that McLaurin would have been gunning for on punt coverage.
Adam Peters told Lane on his draft day phone call that he was the “top returner on our board”.
Jaylin Lane got the Commander tag and was the top punt returner on Washington’s boardpic.twitter.com/7yiBuULfn5
— COMMANDERS FOOTBALL (@HogsHaven) April 26, 2025
In an interview just days later, Lane talked about how overwhelming it was to receive that phone call from Adam Peters on draft day and how lucky he feels to have the opportunity to play in Washington.
Versatility
Lane is a coach’s son, and like so many sons of so many coaches, he has a deep understanding of the game that enhances his versatility.
Listed at just 5’10” and 196 pounds, Lane is seen by many as a slot receiver, but his speed gives coaches the option of aligning him wide and using his 4.34 speed to challenge defensive backs. While he will likely earn his roster spot in 2025 as the team’s primary punt return man, he has the potential to establish himself as a versatile and talented wide receiver as his career progresses.
Earlier this offseason, Kliff Kingsbury addressed this:
[Lane is] very conscientious about his preparation and he’s really picked things up quick. We’ve kind of moved him around to try and challenge him inside, outside and he’s picked it all up, so I’m excited to see how he develops and does in training camp.
Adam Peters made it clear that on Day 3 of the draft, which AP characterized as “scouts day”, Lane enjoyed incredible support as Washington went through the process of finalizing the 4th round pick.