The Washington Commanders added depth to their wide receiver room by drafting Jaylin Lane with the 128th overall pick. Here are five things to know about the newest pass-catcher.
1. He's the most impactful receiver in his high school's history.
There are several NFL players who were also the most talented players on their high school teams, but not many of them can say they made as big an impact as Lane did at Clover High School in South Carolina.
Lane, who ended his high school career as a three-star recruit, broke every receiving record in Clover High School's history in just three seasons. He transferred from Byrnes High School as a sophomore but didn't have his breakout season until a year later, when he made 43 receptions for 605 yards and eight touchdowns.
The following year, he drastically increased his production with 1,611 yards and 30 touchdowns on 76 catches, breaking several school records while also leading his school to a 12-1 record and the third round of the 5A state playoffs. Although his team lost, Lane did his part with 14 catches for 281 yards and four scores.
Despite those numbers, Lane was not a highly-recruited player because of his size. He had to settle for a scholarship at MTSU and became Rick Stockstill's top recruit for the 2020 class.
2. He bet on himself after a career season with MTSU.
Lane had to be patient for an opportunity with the Blue Raiders. He finished his freshman season with 13 receptions and a touchdown against Troy and had a role on special teams, but he only played in 177 snaps.
However, Lane was a more important piece of the offense the following season. He played in 12 games with eight starts, catching 42 receptions for 466 yards and four touchdowns while also keeping his role as the team's punt returner. As a senior, Lane was even more impactful with 940 yards and five touchdowns, both of which led the team and earned him Second Team All-C-USA honors.
Lane could have gone on to be one of the best receivers in program history at MTSU but decided to transfer and finish his college career at Virginia Tech. The decision was about giving him the best chance to make it to the NFL, and he felt like the Hokies were his best opportunity.
"You always aim for the highest," Lane said after the Commanders drafted him. "Being an NFL player has been a dream since I was a kid and making that decision to transfer was ultimately to elevate myself so I could continue to challenge myself."
Lane had 1,004 yards in 2023 and 2024 combined, and while his production did not increase, his work ethic and athleticism stood out against a high level of competition.
3. He's one of the most athletic receivers in this year's draft class.
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.
4. He can return punts.
Until Lane develops as a receiver, he'll need to carve out a role on special teams for the Commanders. Fortunately, he's got that covered.
Lane has caught punts, and been successful at it, for his entire college career. He caught 67 punts over five seasons, including a career high of 24 in 2024, and recorded 733 yards with an 11-yard average. He also ran two of them back, the longest of which coming against Marshall last season.
"Just being back there, I feel like I can make any play, any catch and ultimately, take it to the crib," Lane said. "That's what you want to do as a returner."
Commanders fans will probably love that, because it's been a while since someone scored on a punt return for the Burgundy & Gold. The last person to do it was Jamison Crowder back in 2016, when he returned a punt 85 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in a 16-10 win. The team came close to breaking that drought in 2023, when Crowder had a 63-yard return against the Atlanta Falcons, but he was tripped up at the 10-yard line before he could cross the goal line.
"I'm just very confident, and I feel like I'm gonna be able to help score some touchdowns for the Commanders," Lane said.
5. The organization is really excited about him.
The Commanders didn't have a massive draft class, like they did in 2024, but they are excited about the value they got out of each player. That includes Lane, and assistant general manager Lance Newmark had high praise for the rookie.
"He is a guy that we were really excited about, organizationally, across the board," Newmark said. "Just someone that we were really, really excited about. We had a vision for him, and he was the highest player on our board when we got to that point. It really was kind of a stressful wait from noon until whenever we finally picked because just a lot of stress and...hope that he was going to be there for us."
The Commanders like players who give them options, and Lane fits that description. He was mostly viewed as a slot player in the draft process, but his speed and athleticism could be useful at any spot on the field. The Commanders hope that is the case, because he could be another chess piece for the offense once he develops.
"He just does a lot of great things," Newmark said. "He really helped himself in the spring with his testing numbers. Really was explosive, ran really fast, jumped really high and far. Just a guy that we're really excited about. He has a unique instinct with the ball in his hands. He's got a nose for the sticks on first downs. He's got a unique return skillset."
