Commanders rookie is catching everything thrown his way and it's turning heads
The Washington Commanders only made five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, but there are specific reasons to be excited about each one. For fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane, it's his abilities to make guys miss in space as both a receiver and punt returner. He demonstrated that on the regular at Middle Tennessee State and Virginia Tech […]
The Washington Commanders only made five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, but there are specific reasons to be excited about each one.
For fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane, it's his abilities to make guys miss in space as both a receiver and punt returner. He demonstrated that on the regular at Middle Tennessee State and Virginia Tech and it's a big reason why the Commanders drafted him.
Lane isn't a one-trick pony at receiver, either. Per Pro Football Focus, his slot-to-perimeter snaps at receiver finished at 1,041 to 1,005 in favor of the inside, as he played primarily out wide during his first three years in college before shifting inside the last two.
Either way, the point is the guy is dangerous with the ball in his hands, so the best way to maximize those chances is to try and get him to play different positions across the formation.
That's exactly what Kliff Kingsbury is doing and Lane is handling everything thrown his way – both literally and figuratively. And even though it's only May, has the Commanders offensive coordinator excited for what's in store down the line, as well.
"He can really roll. [He's a] fast, dynamic player," Kingsbury told reporters ahead of Wednesday's OTAs. [He] had a great college career there and [he's] very hard working, very conscientious about his preparation and to really pick 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."
While Lane is expected to be a key contributor on special teams, there's certainly a world where he provides solid contributions as a receiver. The room is crowded after Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, but hardly anything is established after them.
Noah Brown is easily at the top of the list, but he still has to get healthy and stay that way. Remember, he became a Commander because of an injury that kept him out of the Texans' preseason and he also missed seven games in 2023 due to injuries. So there's no guarantee he stays atop of said list. Still, it's going to be a fight for Lane and the rest of everyone, but we all know healthy competition is the best medicine for an NFL team.
"It's a pretty loaded group, you know, so they're going to have to kind of get in where you fit in with this group, and there's not a ton of footballs to go around," said Kingsbury.
Lane and Deebo Samuel give the Commanders two run-after-the-catch threats
This is how good Lane can be after the catch: He caught 194 yards worth of passes out of the slot in 2022, but had 197 yards after the catch. That's absolutely ridiculous. Yes, his average depth of target was 1.2 yards, so he was clearly used as a quick-hitter-type target, but still, he clearly excelled in the role.
Paired with Samuel, the duo creates an excellent run-after-the-catch combo that can absolutely take advantage of the underneath space Terry McLaurin creates due to his ability to take the top off the defense.
It's an exciting dynamic that pairs perfectly with Kingsbury's offense and passing attack. So far, so good, and it if it keeps going then Jayden Daniels and Co. are bound to pick up where they left off.
