The 2025 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Navy defensive back Rayuan Lane III plans on taking full advantage. Lane recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Lane also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, heading to Mobile with a chip on his shoulder, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Lane better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your reaction like?
Rayuan Lane III: I was at the house getting ready for a bowl game. Jim Nagy and his staff had sent a couple of their representatives throughout the season to Navy games. I knew they had their eye on me.
Finally, Jim Nagy gave me a call and formally invited me to the Senior Bowl. I was very excited. It's an opportunity for me to compete with some of the top prospects in the nation. There's no better opportunity than that. I was pretty excited.
JM: It doesn't sound like it took much convincing, but what motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Rayuan Lane III: The biggest thing is for me to showcase my talents and compete against the best prospects in college football.
I'm at Navy. I know it's a bit of a smaller school, not really that well known on that stage. I'll be playing against some top competition in Mobile.
Knowing that the Senior Bowl really is the culmination of the best players in college football, knowing that I have a chance to compete on that stage and show people what I'm all about, that was all the motivation I needed.
JM: What are you hoping to prove to the GMs, coaches, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Rayuan Lane III: I just want to show everybody that I'm a dominant figure. I can go out there and be that same productive player no matter the competition.
I'm ready to play against top prospects and prove that I am exactly who I think I am. I'm capable of what I've shown on film.
I'm ready to get out there, dominate and compete. That's what I want to show the scouts.
JM: It sounds like you're heading to Mobile with a chip on your shoulder, having played at Navy.
Rayuan Lane III: Yeah, I've always had that chip on my shoulder. I don't think it'll ever go away. No matter where I'm playing, who I'm playing against, I always have that chip on my shoulder.
At the end of the day, I'm trying to dominate the man in front of me. Obviously, it's more of a mentality thing. That's always been my approach.
Approaching the game with a chip on my shoulder is a mentality that's never going to leave me.
JM: How would Rayuan Lane III write his own scouting report? Talk to us about your traits and abilities.
Rayuan Lane III: I trigger in the run game really well. I can play deep in that free safety position because I'm able to track the ball well. I read the quarterback, I react to keys.
I have a few other assets. I'm a great communicator. I'm a leader. I wore the green dot at Navy. Being able to communicate and call our defensive plays, get us set up, I'm comfortable with all of those things.
JM: I want to talk about versatility as well. Are you hoping to play multiple positions in Mobile, and at the next level?
Rayuan Lane III: Of course I am. I think that's the great thing about our defense at Navy. I had the opportunity to move around and play different positions. I feel comfortable pretty much everywhere.
That includes special teams. I've played gunner on the punt unit. I was on kickoff duties as well. I pretty much played on every special teams group. I take pride in that. There's no role on the field that's too big or too small for me.
I'm always willing to get my feet wet by diving head-first into a new role. I'm really trying to excel at every position I play.
JM: We've appreciated your time today. This has been outstanding. What does a successful Senior Bowl look like to Rayuan Lane III?
Rayuan Lane III: Just showing that I'm a dominant figure. I'm going to have good technique and good eyes out there. I want to dominate on special teams as well.
A successful Senior Bowl means I proved what I know to be true.
