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Ja’Kobi Lane celebrates scoring a USC touchdown against Notre Dame on November 30, 2024.
On Friday August 15, 2025, NFL Expert Brent Sobleski released Bleacher Report’s first 2026 NFL Mock Draft and predicted the San Francisco 49ers will select USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane with the No. 26 overall pick.
The projection means that Bleacher Report believes the 49ers will make the playoffs, but not make it to or win the Super Bowl.
San Francisco has been dealing with numerous injuries at wide receiver this preseason, as well as the departure of superstar wideout Deebo Samuel. They have only one starter, second-year player Ricky Pearsall, healthy.
Unless they have multiple breakout players this season, they’re certainly going to be in the market for a wideout and particularly one that comes cheap. Because of that, Bleacher Report thinks they will go after Lane.
All About Ja’Kobi Lane
Lane was a four-star receiver prospect coming out of Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona in 2023.
In his freshman season at USC in 2023, he saw limited action. He hauled in only 7 catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
However, he broke out in his last game. With several receivers opting out of USC’s Holiday Bowl game, Lane hauled in two catches which were both touchdowns, and totaled sixty yards.
Lane began 2024 as a rotational player in Lincoln Riley’s offense. But as the year went on, played his way to becoming a top wide receiver and the #1 red zone target for the Trojans.
He hauled in 12 touchdowns, good for 7th best in the nation (and second best in the Big Ten). That included 7 touchdowns in his last 3 games and 3 touchdowns in USC’s Las Vegas Bowl win over Texas A&M.
Lane isn’t on the Biletnikoff award watch list ahead of the 2025 season, but is still considered a candidate for the award.
He has incredible raw talent, profiling similar to someone such as Dallas Cowboys star George Pickens.
What he still needs to prove as a prospect is an ability to be consistent. Lane turned himself into arguably the best wide receiver in the country in the red zone. But he had only 2 games with more than 4 catches and only 2 games with more than 100 yards.
If he can establish himself as a more consistent, high volume receiver, he’d be an incredible pick for the 49ers at this spot.
Jauan Jennings On His Way Out?
Bleacher Report’s prediction that the 49ers will land Ja’Kobi Lane is interesting amidst Jauan Jennings’ contract dispute with San Francisco.
It’s hard not to notice that Lane and Jennings are similar in physical build. At 6’4’’, Lane is actually an inch taller than Jennings. Jennings has about 10 pounds on Lane at 212 lbs.
B/R did mention Jennings’ contract dispute as a big reason 49ers fans should be concerned about their wide receiver room.
“The San Francisco 49ers find themselves in a more difficult position after signing quarterback Brock Purdy to a contract extension,” Sobleski wrote. “The 49ers can’t pay everyone. They’ll make some tough decisions and may start at wide receiver.
What do you think, 49ers fans? Would you like to see the Niners land Ja’Kobi Lane in the NFL Draft next year?
Ethan Inman is a sports journalist covering the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants and Las Vegas Raiders for heavy.com. He also co-hosts a college football podcast for The Voice of College Football, and writes about the NBA and MLB. He has previously covered the USC Trojans, the NHL, college baseball, and the intersection of sports and popular culture for other publications. He is based in the greater Los Angeles area. More about Ethan Inman
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