Name: Jerome Lane
School: Akron
Position fit: Wide receiver
Stats to know: Had four drops on 66 catchable passes in 2016.
What he does best:
- A natural pass catcher who attacks the ball in the air, has strong hands, which allow him to turn upfield quickly after securing the pass.
- Can become an effective red-zone threat as he has a big frame, which he knows how to use to shield away the defender from the pass and gain leverage.
- He will probably not beat defensive backs with his speed in the NFL, but he has a good speed for his size.
- A willing blocker in the run game who is not afraid to use his physicality to block defenders.
- Finds a way to get open on the scramble drill once the play breaks down.
- Made the unusual switch from linebacker to wide receiver, so still learning the position.
Biggest concern:
- Raw route runner, who is slow to stop or change direction during sharp breaks, which can lead to him giving away his routes.
- A lot of his evaluation is only a projection due to the fact that a large percentage of his targets were uncatchable inaccurate passes.
- Had two fumbles in 2016 and ball security can become an issue as he puts the football at risk while fighting to gain extra yards.
Bottom line: Lane is the epitome of a project player at this point of his career as he already has some experience, but is still considered to be raw, especially when it comes to his route running. However, he can instantly become a valuable red-zone threat in the NFL due to his size and ball skills. It is to be seen whether he can develop his route running in a way that would earn him more playing time, maybe even as a full-time starter.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.