Should USC Receiver Ja’Kobi Lane Enter the NFL Draft or Return to School

With the USC Trojans' bowl game against the TCU Horned Frogs coming up on Dec. 30, junior wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane is in the process of deciding whether or not to enter the NFL Draft or returning to Southern Cal for one more season.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (8) celebrates a first down during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

USC receiver Ja’Kobi Lane is one of several Trojans that has a decision to make about their future. 

The junior has one season of eligibility remaining and with the Trojans bowl game coming up on Dec. 30, Lane will decide between entering his name into the 2026 NFL Draft or returning to school for his senior year. 

Case to Return to School 

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (8) celebrates a first down during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Lane had mixed draft reviews coming into the fall after a breakout sophomore season in 2024, where he hauled in 12 touchdowns, which ranked second in the Big Ten and was tied for fifth in the country. 

But playing in a heavy receiver rotation, Lane had just 43 receptions for 525 yards. It’s certainly not nothing. The way he uses his 6-foot-4 frame and displays a wide catch radius were impressive but many draft experts wanted to see more. Some had him as the No. 1 receiver, while others had him in the 5-7 range. 

Lane suffered a broken foot early in the summer, which limited him in fall camp. And then another injury kept him out of the Trojans week 4 win over Michigan State and limited his snaps the following week in a road loss to Illinois. 

It wasn’t as if Lane wasn’t producing. He added to his highlight reel with a one-handed touchdown catch in week 2 and followed it up with 115-yard performance against Purdue in week 3. But as he began getting healthier the second half of the season, Lane found his stride again. 

There’s no doubt Lane is pro ready, but as of right now, the USC receiver is more of a day two pick. If Lane returned to school and had a healthy, productive season, he could solidify himself as a first-round pick. All of which would add millions to his first NFL contract.

And with NIL and revenue-sharing, Lane would be well compensated to play his senior year in Los Angeles. 

Makai Lemon and Lane were basically 1A and 1B at receiver for USC, but with Lemon set to move onto the NFL, Lane would undoubtedly be the team’s No. 1 option at receiver in 2026. 

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Outside of freshman receiver Tanook Hines, it was a veteran group at the position as far as production wise this season. If Lane returned, there wouldn’t be a big need for USC to bring in a veteran receiver from the transfer portal. 

It will be a much better roster next season, especially if Lane returned. On offense, the entire starting offensive line will be back, as well as their two leading rushers in King Miller and Waymond Jordan. 

Walker Lyons had a breakout season at tight end and Mark Bowman, a five-star recruit and Josiah Jefferson, the No. 1 rated JUCO tight end, will join the room this spring. 

Quarterback Jayden Maiava also has a decision to make about his future, but if he decides to enter the draft, it will be 2025 five-star Husan Longstreet that takes over. 

Case to Enter the NFL Draft 

USC wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane hauls in a pass under cover from Oregon defensive back Brandon Finney Jr. as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It will probably be a better receiver class next season. You can write in pen Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith as the No. 1 receiver in the 2027 NFL Draft and probably the first non-quarterback selected. The intrigue will begin with the second receiver drafted. 

Ryan Williams has had a down sophomore season but the electrifying Alabama receiver can bounce back in these College Football Playoffs for the Crimson Tide and during his junior year in 2026. 

There’s also Auburn’s Cam Coleman, Texas’ Ryan Wingo, Rutgers KJ Duff, former Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh, who is entering the transfer portal, just to name a few. 

Lane can absolutely jump all of those guys with a strong senior year, but as previously mentioned, Lane is pro ready now. He’s proved to be a mismatch for defensive backs the past couple of seasons. 

This past season, the Arizona native became more of a vertical threat and made tremendous strides as a route runner. If the medicals check out at the combine and a strong showing in Indianapolis, especially in the 40-yard dash, he could sneak his way into the first round.

And for a player that suffered two separate injuries this season and does have a good stock, there is the risk of what if he gets hampered again in 2026. 

Lane will be 22 years old at the start of next year and the goal for every player is to reach a second contract. And for a receiver they want to get to that third contract well before turning 30.

Young Receiver Room 

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Tanook Hines (16) runs with the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

If Lane ultimately decides enter the draft with Lemon, whenever he officially makes an announcement, and Jaden Richardson out of eligibility, three of the Trojans four leading receivers will be gone in 2026. 

USC signed six receivers in the 2026 recruiting cycle in four-stars Boobie Feaster, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Trent Mosley, Luc Weaver, and three-stars Ja’Myron “Tron” Baker and Roderick Tezeno. 

It’s a group that could contribute next season. Feaster and Tezeno won’t enroll until the summer. Feaster, is someone that will definitely be playing in the fall because of his pure talent and USC's commitment to him in NIL. 

The No. 4 rated receiver in the 247Sports Composite Rankings was the No. 1 rated receiver in the 2027 class, before he reclassified earlier this year. Feaster started receiving college offers when he was in eighth grade. A MaxPreps All-American as a freshman and sophomore, Feaster was widely coveted in the SEC, USC will not be bringing him to sit his first season on campus.

Dixon-Wyatt flipped his commitment from Ohio State to USC on Signing Day and in addition to staying in Southern California, there is a stronger possibility of playing immediately as a freshman at Southern Cal. For Mosley, there may not have been a more impressive receiver in California this fall, and he possesses a skillset very similar to Lemon. 

Hines was a starter coming out of fall camp this year and remained there all season, even though he didn’t enroll until the summer. Fellow freshman Corey Simms has appeared in all 12 games, primarily as a special teams contributor and will compete to earn a spot in the receiver rotation in 2026. 

Sophomore Zacharyus Williams was able to a redshirt season, as a shoulder injury kept him out for over two months. 

Riley tightened his receiver rotation in 2025, featuring three of four players, versus six or seven during his first three seasons at USC. Riley is more likely to go back to the latter next season.