NFL Draft Profile - Virginia Tech Wide Receiver Jaylin Lane
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The Hokies have a few offensive pieces gearing up for the NFL Draft, and wide receiver Jaylin Lane is just one of three wide receivers to enter the NFL Draft from Virginia Tech. Similarly to Bhayshul Tuten, Lane is an undersized playmaker who has shot up draft boards already, and could likely shoot up draft boards again if given a great combine performance.
Lane is listed at 5-foot-9, 191 pounds, and he made some great impressions at the Senior Bowl, when other wide receivers struggled. Football analyst Zach Lyons claimed that Lane was the best of the wide receivers at the day one practice.
National Team @seniorbowl Day 1 Takeaways:
— Zach Lyons (@TheZachLyons) January 28, 2025
- Disappointed in the WRs, consisting of Restrepo, Bryant, Higgins and Noel.
- The best of the WRs was Jaylin Lane from VTech
- Elijah Arroyo was the stand out player from the TEs, made play after play and routinely made people look…
Lane demolished the one-on-one drills at the Senior Bowl.
Virginia Tech WR Jaylin Lane is having himself a day. 5th caught ball on the day and excelled in the 1-1 drills. pic.twitter.com/YJ0yZ7IrdL
— Patriot RedZone (@PatriotRedZone) January 30, 2025
Jaylin Lane - WR Virginia Tech with a couple of solid reps in 1 on 1 at the #SeniorBowl #Hokies pic.twitter.com/IvPlO0XWoI
— B.J. Monacelli (@bjmonacelli) January 28, 2025
The one thing that separates Jaylin Lane is the fast twitch ability he has. Lane has unteachable burst and some really stand-out body control.
ATHLETICISM:
This is the most proven part of Jaylin Lane’s game so far at the collegiate level. He’s got 21 miles per hour speed with the ability to get off the line of scrimmage. Lane can make men miss after the catch, but his main draw athletically comes from his quickness at the line. Lane gets upfield so fast, and if it weren’t for his stature, he would be able to get so many deep balls, that he didn’t necessarily get the opportunity at Virginia Tech to catch. His biggest upside is as a catch and run receiver, possible being a main player in a screen game at the next level.
ROUTE-RUNNING:
This is where I’d like to see some improvement for Jaylin Lane. His issue with running routes is not the fact that he can’t run them, because he is one of the smoothest route runners in the ACC, it’s his inability to sell those routes. His salesmanship is not at the NFL level, yet, as a wide receiver. He also has some inconsistent strides that allow slower defensive backs to get back into plays where Lane should have a few steps.
OVERALL:
Lane brings immediate upside as a punt return man, and could have a long NFL career if some slight changes are made to his game.
Additional Links:
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RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.
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