With the 2025 NFL Draft within the books, it’s time to replicate on how the Jacksonville Jaguars fared. Did rookie GM James Gladstone ship a masterclass, or has he simply set the Jags again 5 years? Reality is, we in all probability received’t know that for a while. However we are able to get to know the latest members of the group a little bit bit higher. Within the newest of our mini-series of deep dives, listed below are three issues to learn about Rayuan Lane III, S, Navy:
Army dedication
No huge deal — simply an NFL Jaguars draftee and now Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Rayuan Lane III taking part in catch with the SecDef.
The SecDef’s obtained fingers!
pic.twitter.com/mQTiI4V0Qb— ℂ ℙ (@TheLtColUSMC) July 4, 2025
Most individuals acquainted with the NFL Draft can be conscious that school athletes from army academies are required to finish 5 years of energetic responsibility, in addition to three years within the reserves, upon commencement. Sometimes this dedication is honored instantly, and as such was problematic for NFL groups wishing to pick any soccer gamers from Military, Navy or Air Pressure. Their energetic responsibility primarily tied them up till roughly across the age of 26, robbing them of peak years {of professional} employment. Probably the most well-known instance of that is in fact Roger Staubach, the Navy quarterback who was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in 1964, however solely in a position to start his NFL profession in 1969.
In 2019, President Donald Trump amended this coverage through govt order, permitting service academy athletes the choice to delay their active-duty service to pursue a profession in skilled sports activities. This transformation has meant that NFL groups are much less reluctant to make use of draft capital on gamers from such applications, and provides prospects comparable to Rayuan Lane the chance to maximise their alternative each financially and professionally. The Jaguars had been in a position to decide to a prospect who might probably contribute on particular groups instantly with out concern of losing a draft choice.
Lane’s dedication to his energetic responsibility could also be paused, however it’s everlasting. Upon graduating, he chosen an project with the Marine Corps, alluding to his dedication to his service. His NFL Draft preparation was balanced in opposition to his Naval Academy duties, that means that he was even carrying his uniform on draft day. Straight after he acquired the telephone name from James Gladstone, Lane is quoted as saying “I’m excited for the chance to be each a Jacksonville Jaguar and a Marine Corps officer”. And in latest days, he’s taken a visit to the Pentagon together with his household the place he met the secretary of protection, toured the ability – and naturally, thrown a soccer on the parade discipline.
Soccer doesn’t final eternally. Rayuan Lane is aware of precisely what he’ll be doing as soon as it ends.
Turnover machine
It’s typically simple to suppose that soccer gamers who hail from the service academies are one way or the other inferior to these from different applications. Who would enlist within the Military or Navy except it was their solely option to proceed taking part in soccer? Effectively, in Lane’s case, it really was his solely alternative; a zero-star prospect popping out of Gilman Excessive College in Baltimore, MD, the Midshipmen had been the one ones to supply him a scholarship to play school soccer…
Regardless, Lane wasn’t simply there to make up the numbers, and thru 4 years in Annapolis grew to become one of the vital productive safeties in all of faculty soccer. The Jags’ rookie has proven an unimaginable potential to create turnovers in his profession so far, with seven interceptions on his resume – two of them returned for touchdowns. At 5’11” and 200lbs, Lane has quite a lot of energy in his body and is well-known for his hard-hitting tackling; 244 tackles in his school profession tells you his dedication to bodily soccer, and his eight pressured fumbles are essentially the most by any defensive again within the nation prior to now 4 seasons. Neglect which college you play for: Rayuan Lane can flat out play soccer.
The hard-nosed edge to his sport had draft scouts opining about Lane’s particular groups worth on the subsequent degree. Ought to he stick on the roster, then a job as a gunner on kickoff and punt items would doubtless be in his future early in his profession. From there, he ought to be given sufficient rope to work himself into the rotation within the secondary, and showcase his playmaking skills within the black and teal.
Loyalty
Contemplating the better pathway to the NFL these days, and the way Navy took an opportunity on him when no person else would, it’s clear to see why Rayuan Lane would have a fierce loyalty to the Midshipmen. However he’s additionally a competitor, little question a person who desires to grow to be the perfect he may be each on and off the soccer discipline. It’s solely pure that, on this period of NIL and the switch portal, he would have the chance to ‘take a look at the market’ to a point.
Throughout his junior 12 months Lane did simply that, coming into the switch portal to discover curiosity. Unsurprisingly, there was sturdy demand for his companies, together with from applications as esteemed as Notre Dame and UCLA who each prolonged scholarship provides to the protection. That wasn’t all they supplied both, with Navy defensive coordinator PJ Volker claiming there was “substantial quantities of cash on the desk” from faculties with spending energy. If Lane wished to go to a Energy 4 program, improve his repute with one eye on the following degree while additionally competing for a Nationwide Championship, the pathway was there.
As an alternative, Lane determined to remain at Navy, a exceptional demonstration of devotion contemplating what he was foregoing. A choice which may appear baffling to you and I, Lane was in a position to put it into an easier context:
“In the event that they’re asking me to go away an ideal place to go to a different excellent place, what am I gaining? Finally, I’ve obtained quite a lot of love for the academy and for my teammates. Once I put every thing collectively, it didn’t make sense for me to get away from this place.”
Not a lot is mostly anticipated of a sixth spherical draft choose who was chosen #200 general. However on the very least the Jags are including a fierce competitor and a high-character man to their locker room.