The Washington Commanders just added a player with a rare set of athletic traits to the impending competition at punt returner.
The Commanders used the 128th overall pick -- their first of three picks today -- to take Virginia Tech wideout Jaylin Lane and add him to a receiver room that already has players like Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel. Lane was a solid option for MTSU and the Hokies over five seasons, recording 2,532 yards and 18 touchdowns on 203 receptions.
But Lane's biggest contributions, at least at the start of his NFL career, might be on special teams, and he's excited about that opportunity.
"Just being back there, I feel like I can make any play, any catch and ultimately, take it to the crib," Lane said. "That's what you want to do as a returner."
Lane delivered some impressive highlights as a punt returner at the college level, both at MTSU and Virginia Tech. He averaged nearly 11 yards per return during his college career and scored two touchdowns. He ripped off a 58-yarder against Marshall last season and sprinted past the entire coverage unit to do so.
Lane's success with the ball in his hands makes sense when looking at how different his skill set is compared to the rest of his draft class. He had a strong week at the combine with a 4.34 40-yard dash, 11-foot broad jump, 40-inch vertical, 6.75 three-cone drill and 4.12 shuttle, all of which ranked in the top four for his position.
"I'm just very confident, and I feel like I'm gonna be able to help score some touchdowns for the Commanders," Lane said.
Commanders fans probably love that, because it's been a while since someone scored on a punt return for the Burgundy & Gold. The last person to do it was Jamison Crowder back in 2016, when he returned a punt 85 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in a 16-10 win. The team came close to breaking that drought in 2023, when Crowder had a 63-yard return against the Atlanta Falcons, but he was tripped up at the 10-yard line before he could cross the goal line.
Washington has tried several options at punt returner over the last eight years, from Steven Sims to Dax Milne and DeAndre Carter. Some had their moments, but none could consistently produce to keep the job.
The hope is that Washington has found its answer in Lane, and while he'll still need to earn the job, he has enough tools to do it.
