ESPN analyst ranks USC's Ja'Kobi Lane as top wide receiver prospect for 2026 NFL draft
After a relatively quiet freshman season in 2023, USC wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane broke out last fall. Following a massive performance in the Trojans' Las Vegas Bowl victory over Texas A&M. Lane now enters 2025 as an unquestioned leader in USC's wide receiver room.
Lane's breakout attracted the attention of not just his Trojans teammates, but NFL Draft scouts as well. Recently, ESPN analysts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid released lists of their top prospects at every position for the 2026 NFL Draft. Reid was very high on Lane, ranking his as his top wide receiver on the board.
Here is what Reid had to say about Lane:
"I have the 6-4, 195-pound redshirt sophomore ranked higher than everyone and will continue to reside on that island," Reid wrote. "But he is a polarizing prospect who has many scouts needing to see more. Despite 12 touchdowns last season, Lane had only 528 receiving yards and was held below 50 yards in eight of USC's 13 games. There isn't a true WR1 in this class yet, so, with a bit more consistency, Lane has the opportunity to rise and be the first receiver off the board."
As Reid highlights, Lane certainly showed major flashes of his potential last season. But he still has a way's to go in terms of establishing himself as an elite NFL prospect. Fortunately for Lane, he will have plenty of opportunities to do so this fall.
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