Three Interesting Things to Know About USC Receiver Prospect Ja'Kobi Lane
USC receiver Ja'Kobi Lane is expected to be the second Trojans receiver selected in the 2026 NFL Draft after the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Makai Lemon with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round on Thursday night.
With Lane expected to be taken on Day 2 or Day 3 of the NFL Draft, here are three things to know about the future NFL receiver.
Elite Scoring Threat
Lane caught 12 touchdowns during his sophomore season with USC, good for No. 5 in all of college football.
He may not be as productive in gaining yards after the catch as Lemon was with the Trojans, but Lane demonstrated the ability to make contested catches. He especially proved his value as an outside receiver and as a red zone target in USC coach Lincoln Riley's offense.
Lane measured in at 6-4, 200 pounds, and he may need to develop more in the weightroom in order to withstand an NFL season. Still, Lane's production at USC speaks for itself.
In his two seasons as a primary target of the Trojans offense, Lane caught 92 passes for 1,270 yards and 16 touchdowns.
High Character Prospect
Lane was a fan favorite at USC not only because of his ability to score touchdowns. His interactions with the Trojans fanbase, especially younger fans, only added to Lane's star power during his time in Southern California.
You can see why #USC WR Ja'Kobi Lane is fan favorite pic.twitter.com/lcHpCgd9op
- Kendell Hollowell (@KHollowell_) November 8, 2025
The former Trojan was also quick to credit his teammates whenever given the opportunity. In USC's win over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2024, Lane finished as the game's MVP with seven catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
After his MVP performance, Lane was interviewed on ESPN's SportsCenter and talked about the confidence he has in his teammates.
"I just know anybody that gets a play called for them is gonna execute on this offense. Everybody came to this bowl week, everybody came and banded together. And I think when anybody's name was called, everybody knew what time it was, and we just tried to do our best," said Lane after USC's win.
While some wide receivers get frustrated by a lack of targets, Lane appears to be entering the NFL with a team-first mindset.
Lincoln Riley on Ja'Kobi Lane
Before the season, Riley spoke about Lane's growth as a leader, seemingly challenging the Trojans wide receiver to continue his development on and off the field.
"I think some of the older receivers in the room are gone now, and he's getting to the point where he's not only needs to mature individually, but this team needs him to, in terms of the leader and the presence that he is. Because he does have an infectious energy, competitive energy. It affects our football team, so I think he's got some big goals for this team. And he wants to be a leader, he wants to be somebody this team can count on each and every day," said Riley.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Three Interesting Things to Know About USC Receiver Prospect Ja'Kobi Lane.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 3:34 PM.