Rayuan Lane is an intriguing prospect who started his final 43 games (an FBS record) and is the first Navy Midshipman to be invited to the NFL Combine in six years.
The list of Navy players to be drafted to the NFL only has 17 names on it, so Lane faces long odds historically. Our scouting report looks at one of the best Midshipmen in the history of the program ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Rayuan Lane Scouting Report
Size: 5’11”, 197 pounds
Key Stat: 70 tackles, three forced fumbles in 2024
Projected Role: Rotational Defensive Back
Strengths
- Above-average ball skills. 21 passes defended and seven interceptions in his collegiate career.
- Experienced and versatile. Lane has played many games in the last four years and has shown the ability to move around the secondary and be an impact player on special teams. Was named a First-Team All-American Athletic Conference player and awarded National Special Teams Player of the Year.
- Smart and instinctual player when playing downhill. Reads the play well and willing to get downhill to defend passes and support in the run game.
- Shows straight line quickness which makes him effective when playing zone coverage.
- A big-play player who forced eight fumbles, recovered three, had seven interceptions, and had two defensive touchdowns.
Areas of Concern
- His size and skillset may leave him stuck in between, positionally. He’s undersized for a safety at the NFL level but he lacks the man coverage skills to move to cornerback.
- While willing to come downhill and make tackles, his lack of size and poor technique at times leads him to struggle in one-on-one tackling situations. The film shows a propensity to tackle high and bounce right off of ball carriers.
- Playing at Navy, Lane has not competed against the upper echelon of college offenses consistently. How his instincts will translate against a jump in talent is an unknown heading into the draft.
Ceiling: Versatile part of a defensive back rotation and core special teamer.
Floor: Fringe NFL player
Rayuan Lane NFL Draft Outlook
Bottom Line: Lane is a decorated collegiate player who brings a ton of experience and IQ to the draft. His ability to diagnose plays and get to the right spots flashes all over his tape. He plays the game with toughness and a high motor, you can find multiple examples of making an effort to chase down long plays way down field.
His intangibles – effort, turnovers, toughness, and special teams value – will need to be his calling card in the early days to earn a roster spot. His lack of size and inconsistent discipline in his tackling can cause problems for a guy attempting to play safety in the NFL.
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In short, he needs to be a high-effort special teamer that carves a role out for himself on a team. The defensive scheme he gets drafted too will likely play a significant role in his ability to succeed.
Draft Projection: Late Day Three Pick or UDFA
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