Ja'Kobi Lane
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USC wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane.
There is no spot Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton likes to draft more than wide receiver.
In his first 3 drafts as Broncos head coach, he’s taken more wide receivers (4) than any other position, and picked at least one each year.
Don’t expect that to slow down in 2026, with the Broncos in need of wide receivers more than ever, with The Athletic predicting USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane to the Broncos in the 3rd round (No. 94 overall).
There are wildly different projections on Lane’s NFL prospects after the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Arizona native had one of the wildest stat lines you’ll see in 2024 with 43 receptions for 525 yards … and 12 touchdowns.
Lane, 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, followed that up in 2025 with another line that will throw you off — 49 receptions for 745 yards and 4 touchdowns.
“Ja’Kobi Lane is a prototypical X-receiver with outstanding ball skills to dominate the catch point, similar to Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens,” Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “Lane is equipped with the frame and wingspan to thrive as a high-point specialist in the NFL. Lane is a former 4-star recruit in the 2023 class. He is coming off his best season of college football in 2025. Lane has never eclipsed 800 yards receiving in a single season.”