Lane didn't have a prolific college career, instead landing in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on the strength of his showing at the 2025 Combine, where he posted a 4.34 40, 40-inch vertical and 132-inch broad jump at 5-foot-10, 191. As a rookie, Lane mostly made his name on punt returns with a pair of touchdowns, quietly accumulating 348 snaps on offense in the meantime. The Commanders tried to use him as a downfield threat more so than a screen/YAC weapon, with Lane drawing 32 targets on 182 routes (17.6 percent TPRR) at a 14.1 aDOT. He caught just 16 of those passes and committed four drops, finishing with just 225 yards (14.1 YPR, 7.0 YPT). Lane took only 37 percent of his snaps in the slot, where his profile arguably has more appeal, though his struggles working in traffic (three intermediate drops) might be even more of a problem there. Rookie third-round pick Antonio Williams is the new favorite for slot work, in any case, potentially leaving Lane to compete for a rotational role opposite Terry McLaurin.