Wide receivers are paid to make plays, and so far in Ravens training camp, rookie wideout Ja'Kobi Lane is doing the job.
It's easiest to spot the guys with the ball in or around their hands during practice, and great catches stand out. The thing is, Lane keeps making them.
Last week, as we shared, Lane made a highlight-reel grab in a 7-on-7 rep.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 30, 2026
This week, more of the same.
OMG @cantGuardJak1 😮💨😮💨😮💨 pic.twitter.com/X2nkgB7bxd
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 4, 2026
Lane, out of USC, stands 6-foot-4, and his catch radius was a selling point of his college tape long before Baltimore drafted him.
Veteran Ravens defensive back Marlon Humphrey said on an episode of the team's in-house podcast, The Lounge, that Lane appears to be gaining quarterback Lamar Jackson's trust quickly. "He's been putting it up there, and I've been kind of surprised of the ones he's been able to go up and get."
We'll see what happens once full-contact work begins - Lane's not a thick guy, "only" 205 pounds at 6-foot-4 - but Lane clearly has the athleticism to see significant playing time this season. "Anybody can look good in practice," Jackson said, "but I feel like he will be looking good in games as well."
Lane described the feeling of the connection himself after he was drafted.
"Catching passes from Lamar Jackson, if that doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will," he said. "Then in that same sense, if he turns on the jets and gets past the line of scrimmage, I'll be sure to get on my man and block downfield. I'm super grateful for this opportunity. I'll make sure to make the most of it wherever that opportunity comes."
He also pushed back on the idea that his game starts and ends with contested catches.
"Definitely having that in my bag and being able to go up and go get those balls that are up top," Lane said. "But I think above everything else, I think I am a great wide receiver that has a lot of traits besides the 'jump ball,' and I am excited to be able to show that and bring that to Baltimore as well as a bunch of other traits. But as soon as that ball is in the air, you can guarantee it's coming down with me." His favorite route, for what it's worth, is a fade.
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle compared him to former Saints receiver Michael Thomas this week.
"What we thought about him just continues to show up, and that is he has this huge catch radius, he has great hands and he is very sticky," Doyle said. "He is a very different player, but the guy that I was around that his hands remind me of is Mike Thomas. Mike Thomas had these strong hands where he could pull it down in a way, and you threw it in the vicinity, and you felt like he was going to go get it. There is a lot of that feeling. He is a very friendly guy to throw to."
Doyle was just as complimentary of Lane's work ethic as his hands.
"'Jak' is working extremely hard to learn all of it, and I am really happy with that progress. Every single day — he grabbed me right before we came off the field — and he is like, 'Hey coach, I messed up this.' I am like, 'Hey, you recognized what you made a mistake on. Now, the next step is let's fix it before that happens.'"
Keep watching Lane as the preseason and his rookie year develops. It won't be hard.