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USC wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane declares for 2026 NFL Draft

Erik-McKinneyby: Erik McKinney14 hours agoErikTMcKinney

USC Trojans wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane announced Monday that he will forgo his final year of college eligibility and make himself available for the 2026 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound receiver finished his three-year USC career with 99 receptions for 1,363 yards and 18 touchdowns. In 11 games this season, Lane had 49 receptions for 745 yards and four scores.

“I want to thank Coach Riley, Coach Simmons, and Coach Huard for taking a chance on me and helping me grow not only as an athlete, but more importantly, as a man,” read part of the statement Lane posted to his Instagram account. “To the University of Southern California, this will always be home. Since a young age, I dreamed of playing here, and the opportunities that I’ve encountered here will take me further than football ever will. The love from the fans, alumni, and staff has been nothing short of a blessing that I will appreciate for the rest of my life.”

Lane was a four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, the nation’s No. 339 overall recruit and No. 53 wide receiver.

ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper currently has Lane ranked as his No. 9 receiver prospect for the upcoming draft. Three of the top nine signed with USC in that 2023 class, as Lane appears along with Makai Lemon at No. 3 and Zachariah Branch at No. 4.

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Garry Paskwietz