They used back-to-back picks in the 2026 NFL draft to add wide receivers around franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson, but the Baltimore Ravens have very different plans for Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, with one rookie pass-catcher being developed as a “package player” to help two-time league MVP Jackson in a key area of the field.
It’s third-round pick Lane who “does not need to become a high-volume target immediately to matter,” according to Glenn Erby of Ravens Wire. Instead, if Lane “wins trust near the goal line and proves he can separate well enough outside, his role could grow quickly as a package player and scoring-area option for Jackson.”
Erby has mapped out a usage plan for Lane dependant on the Ravens unleashing the former USC star inside the red zone and at the goal-line. The strategy not only fits Lane’s physical profile, but also his mental approach to some of the more physically demanding parts of his job description.
Sub-Package Skills Can Get Ja’Kobi Lane Onto the Field Early
It makes sense buzz is already building for Lane to play early this season. The 80th player drafted this year possesses the right sub-package skills and niche talents to make an immediate impact.
Specifically, the 6-foot-4, 200-pounder is a size mismatch, a particularly effective trait in tight spaces, like near the goal-line. Lane can body defensive backs in the one-on-one coverage matchups common from inside the 20.
Providing Jackson with a go-to target at the business end of the field will get Lane into the lineup more often. So will the 22-year-old’s willingness to be a blocker, a mindset he explained on “The Lounge Podcast” to Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing by revealing, “One of my Mom’s favorite mottos is ‘no blocky, no rocky.’ So just being able to always listen to that in the back of my head and realize that there’s jobs you wanna do, and there’s jobs you gotta do.”
Lane’s ability to block should see him flexed into the slot and stacked on the line of scrimmage to crack-back against edge defenders or create double-teams in new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s schemes.
An interesting pro comparison for Lane involves an experienced wideout who played for Doyle with the Chicago Bears in 2025. Third-year pro Rome Odunze is a 6-foot-3, 214-pounder who was on contested-catch and blocking duties for Doyle.
Being able to replicate things Odunze did in this offense arguably makes Lane more NFL ready than two other budding young talents in the Ravens’ receiver room.
Ravens Refreshing Targets Around Lamar Jackson
Much of this offseason has been defined by how the Ravens have refreshed the receivers at Jackson’s disposal. He can still rely on incumbents like Bateman and two-time 1,000-yard receiver Zay Flowers, but the Ravens are also counting on an increasing number of youthful options around their QB1.
Options like Lane’s fellow rookie, fourth-round pick Sarratt. He’s also being touted to quickly make his presence felt in the pros, following a prolific final collegiate season at Indiana.
Sarratt can forge a role as a reliable target over the middle for Jackson, but the latter will also be keen for a spring standout to finally become a more consistent deep threat.
All of these outcomes represent the best-case scenario for a Ravens team betting big on potential and upside, over established track records, at a key position within the supporting cast of their best player.
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